Lessons in Love
by ninag95
Summary: When Erina and her friends go on a skiing trip and she meets her hot new skiing instructor, she decides to enlist help from the last person she ever thought she'd ask for flirting advice...
1. Chapter 1

**Summary** : When Erina and her friends go on a skiing trip and she meets her hot new skiing instructor, she decides to enlist help from the last person she ever thought she'd ask for flirting advice...

 **Rating** : T, subject to change. Let me know in the comments if you guys have a preference for rating.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own SnS or any of the characters, only this plot.

* * *

"I'll check us in," Alice called out excitedly as she walked through the luxurious winter resort lobby. She commanded the boys holding her suitcases, "Be gentle with my bags please!"

Her muscular aide grunted subserviently, lugging her giant suitcases behind him, but Akira demanded irritatedly, "Why did you pack so much? We're only going to be here for a week."

Ryo growled, "There's no point in arguing with her. She overpacks for every vacation and she'll never stop."

Alice pouted, "Stop complaining, you're getting a free trip out of this! Besides, I obviously needed options to change from skiing to lounging to fine dining." She quickly made her way to the front desk and began checking everyone in.

Erina and Hisako giggled as they watched the men struggle under the weight of Alice's bags and made their way into the cozy lobby. The fireplace was burning, a giant glimmering Christmas tree stood proudly in the corner of the room, and the floor-to-ceiling windows gave a stunning view of the snow-covered mountains. Erina sighed contentedly, thinking of how much she'd be able to relax here.

The Lab Coat Trio, Erina, and Hisako had decided to take a trip to the mountains during winter break of their last year at Tōtsuki. Their workload as third years was quite simply unbearable, and with all her headmistress duties on top of that, Erina was finding herself buried in work without a single moment of free time. When her grandfather had planned this trip for them and proposed to temporarily handle her work over the holidays, Hisako had forced her to agree. While she hated that her grandfather had to step in and help her, Erina reluctantly admitted that she needed a break. It was at the point where she couldn't even sleep at night because she laid awake thinking of all the paperwork awaiting her in the morning.

This trip would be good for her, she decided. Trips to the sauna, daily massages, and watching the snow float gently down onto the mountains was the perfect way to unwind after this stressful year and prepare for their remaining semester.

Erina and Hisako sank down into the fluffy couches and were greeted by employees bearing hot drinks. They chatted excitedly about their upcoming vacation until suddenly, she spotted _him._

Erina's eyes fell out of her head and her heartrate quickened when she saw a boy with flaming red hair walk in the lobby, lugging his suitcase inside. She jumped up from her seat and gasped, "Y-Yukihira! What are you doing here?!"

Soma's eyes lit up in recognition and his face broke into a giant cheerful smile. He let his bag drop from his shoulder and held out his arms in greeting, exclaiming, "Surprise!"

Erina and Hisako watched in astonishment as the rest of the usual gang filtered into the resort, loudly and animatedly taking in the lavish setting. They all waved over to the stunned girls, clearly unaware that their presence hadn't been expected. Hisako excitedly went over to greet their friends while Erina did her best to calm her heart's rapid beating and the massive backflip her stomach made every time she saw Soma.

Erina placed her hands forcefully on her hips, as if standing her ground. She asked exasperatedly, "What are you doing here, Yukihira? You said you guys were all staying at the dorms over the break!"

Soma shrugged, "Well, Kurokiba told me you guys were going here and I figured, why not! Fancy resort, snowboarding, cooking? Besides, it's our last year together. I thought it'd be fun to hang out during the break! Alice said you'd be happy to see me." He winked as he said his last words, enjoying the blush that spread across her cheeks.

 _She better sleep with one eye open tonight,_ Erina thought grimly.

The blonde growled, "Alice shouldn't speak for other people about things she knows nothing about!"

Her classmate teased, "So you're not happy to see me?"

She faltered, "W-well, I didn't say that!"

Soma smirked, "See how much fun we're having already?" He laughed at the annoyed look on Erina's face and assured her, "Seriously, don't worry about us! We're not gonna embarrass you at your fancy resort."

Erina rolled her purple eyes but a hint of a smile graced her lips. By now, she had collected herself and reverted to her icy persona, commenting haughtily, "I should hope not. This place is far above your usual standards, I'm sure. No offense, but how exactly can you afford a place like this?"

The resort was the best money could buy, and it was unlikely Soma's father had given him enough to stay for the week; similarly, their other friends, apart from Ikumi Mito, didn't seem to come from wealthy families either.

Soma explained, "All it took was a little negotiating with the manager to get us all jobs in exchange for room and board. Their chefs get their paid time off and we have a free place to stay in exchange for doing what we love. It's a win/win!"

Erina crossed her arms loftily and smirked, "My, my, I suppose the standards here have really gone down if they'd hire you without testing your food. I suppose Tōtsuki's reputation really holds its weight. Try not to tarnish the name, okay?"

Soma chuckled at her taunt and shrugged, "I'll do my best! Come by the restaurant sometime this week and I'll whip up something special for ya!"

She giggled, "Leave me alone, I'm on vacation! I really don't want to do any tastings this week! I just want to relax."

He groaned dramatically, "Nakiri, if I'm not challenging you, how am I gonna get my fix? I need it to survive!"

Erina raised an eyebrow and her mouth twisted into a wry smile, "I'm assuming you had a life before we met? I believe you'll find a way to carry on without me."

Soma muttered without thinking, "Maybe I don't want to."

Erina's eyes widened in shock and her heart lurched, but before she could analyze his statement, Soma quickly added, "Ah, I know, how about a little skiing competition by the end of the break?"

He gave her a crooked smile, and Erina instantly recognized the familiar twinkle of mischief in his golden eyes. She hesitated, as she'd never actually gone skiing, but the cocky grin on his face and his teasing were all it took.

"What? Don't you know how to ski?"

She tossed her golden hair over her shoulder and bristled, "Shouldn't you know by now, Yukihira? I can do anything!"

Without further hesitation, Erina stuck out her hand and declared, "Get ready to eat my snow, diner boy."

The redhead chuckled and shook her hand in response. "You're somethin' else, Nakiri."

For whatever reason, she couldn't help but feel her cheeks heat up as they always did whenever this man was involved. The warmth from his hand and his cheeky smile brought butterflies to her stomach, and she felt her heart twinge when he reluctantly pulled his hand away. He cleared his throat, "Anyways, I should probably go help everyone with their bags from the car. I'll see you around!"

She wistfully watched as Soma turned back out toward the parking lot, and as soon as he was out of sight, she rushed to the front desk where Alice was. She whispered frantically to the concierge, "I need a private ski lesson every day this week! I'll pay anything!"

Alice, who was in the midst of finishing up the paperwork, frowned, "Since when are you a fan of anything involving the cold? I've invited you to go skiing hundreds of times and you've always said no!"

Erina grimaced, "Since stupid Yukihira came and challenged me!"

Alice's head whipped around in search of the boy as she asked, "What? He's here?"

The blonde gave a deadly glare and hissed, "They're all here thanks to your guard dog's big mouth!"

Erina turned to face the concierge who wore a quiet smile of amusement and repeated, "Can I please get a private skiing lesson for this week?"

The concierge nodded, "Of course, ma'am. We have many world-class instructors you can choose from. Oh, in fact, here comes one of them now!"

The girls turned toward the instructor and were instantly floored by what they saw. Standing before them was the most stunningly handsome man the girls had ever seen. His tan skin and striking green eyes were enough to rival the men in Erina's romance novels!

The concierge introduced the two startled girls to the older boy, saying, "Brad is one of our oldest employees. He'd certainly be willing to teach you how to ski."

The twenty-year-old nodded in agreement, "For sure! By the time we're done, you'll be shredding down the slopes like a pro!" He shot them a dazzling white smile, causing Alice to nearly faint into Erina's arms.

Erina, still in shock, nodded mutely in response to his assertion, barely registering the time and place they would meet the following morning to begin their lessons.

When they finished checking in, Alice grabbed her cousin's arm and dragged her towards the elevators. She waved Hisako over to join them, and once the doors closed, she squealed, red eyes wide, "Oh my god, that was the hottest guy I've ever seen!"

The pink-haired girl queried, "Who?!"

Alice blurted out, "Erina's new ski instructor! I swear, if I wasn't already an expert on the slopes, I'd be the first in line for one-on-one lessons!"

Erina blushed and crossed her arms, annoyed at how good-looking he was. She really hated being flustered. First Yukihira, now this guy? She huffed grumpily, "He was okay."

Alice laughed, "Just okay?! He was like supermodel hot! You should totally ask him out!"

Erina's jaw dropped in surprise and she finally sputtered out, "Are you crazy? I-I can't just ask out a stranger, don't be ridiculous! Besides, he should be the one to ask me out!"

The girls found their room at the end of the hall and swiped past the door, entering the grand deluxe suite that had been prepared especially for them.

Alice dropped her bags on the bed closest to the window and exclaimed, "Girls can make the first move too! Come on, you're a strong independent woman! You're the headmistress of your own school!"

Hisako smirked, "If he's so great, why don't you ask him out?"

Alice sighed unperturbedly, "You know I've already got my eye on someone else." She turned to face Erina and winked, "Think of it as a Christmas gift from me to you. Besides, you've gotta get out there sometime. We're third years and you've never even been on a date. Some real-world experience wouldn't kill you."

Erina scowled but said nothing, dropping onto her bed in thought. It wasn't her fault she'd never been on a date! No one at Tōtsuki dared even approach her, let alone flirt with her. How was she supposed to know what to do or say when it came to boys when she had absolutely zero experience in the subject?

Why did it even matter? She wasn't looking to date or get involved with anyone at the moment. The only thing that mattered to Erina was becoming the greatest chef this world had ever known. Yet, despite her rational thoughts, she couldn't shake Alice's comments from her mind. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to practice dating...

Erina blushed, "I wouldn't even know where to start! I've never…"

She wavered, embarrassed at how personal this conversation had become. Alice was the last person she ever wanted to discuss her dating habits (or lack thereof) with.

The white-haired girl smiled coyly, "Just start by flirting with him! I'm sure he's used to it since he's GORGEOUS."

Erina slammed her hands down on the bed and exclaimed, "Exactly! He's probably used to hundreds of girls flirting with him, but I don't even know how, so I'm going to look like an idiot! He's never going to think I'm interested!"

Hisako giggled, "It doesn't matter if you embarrass yourself because this guy is a total stranger and you'll never see him again! I say go for it."

Alice's jaw dropped at her new ally's statement; Erina's assistant and her rarely saw eye to eye on things, but for once it seemed they agreed. Erina needed to go out on a date.

Erina grumbled, "It doesn't matter if he's a stranger; I don't want to humiliate myself by trying to 'seduce' him or whatever!"

Alice groaned, "You are being ridiculous! You're telling me you're too embarrassed to practice flirting even with a stranger? How will you ever get a boyfriend?!"

Hisako interrupted Alice's rant, suggesting helpfully, "Erina, I think I have an idea… Maybe what you need is a dry run with a friend to practice on! Someone with whom you are already familiar, but don't really care about them seeing you like that. I think that may help you loosen up and become more comfortable."

Alice chimed in, "I agree. That way you can get all the embarrassment out of your system first before approaching Instructor McHottie. I could ask Ryo to help…"

Erina held up a hand, cutting her off. "No way! Kurokiba is either emotionless or terrifying, neither of which would be conducive to this experiment."

Hisako offered, "Hayama could help? Although I can't picture him flirting with anyone." The girls had seen his stoic expressions upon receiving Valentine's chocolates from unsuspecting girls and they decided at once, he would not be fun to flirt with.

Alice smirked, "That leaves one option…"

All three girls stared at each other.

Erina yelled, "NO! Absolutely not!"

Alice grinned, "He'd be perfect! He already flirts with you all the time, even if he doesn't know it."

Hisako stifled a laugh and nodded solemnly, "You definitely care the least about his opinion out of all the guys, and you know he'd be willing to help you."

Erina buried her horror-stricken face into her hands and screamed silently. No fucking way was she going to ask HIM.

* * *

The following day, Soma, Yuki, and Megumi got up at the crack of dawn to prepare breakfast for their first shift at the hotel's restaurant. They employed the skills they had carefully crafted over the last 3 years and served their dishes with as much attention to detail as they would during a Shokugeki, carefully refining each dish to meet their guest's exact specifications. The guests of the hotel were blown away by the refinement and delectable food, and the restaurant outsold its average by 300%! Their delicious meals received so many compliments in fact, that the manager came over to personally congratulate them and offer them free lift tickets for the mountain!

After a few hours of hard work, they had finally earned the right to go enjoy the snow. They excitedly geared up and headed toward the snowy mountain. While Megumi chose to stay on the bunny slopes for the duration of the day while she got the hang of skiing, Soma and Yuki, who were also amateurs, threw themselves off the greens and blues, totally unfazed by the twists and turns of the mountainous slopes.

Soma cheered and whooped as he flew down at lightning speed while Yuki screamed in delight close behind him! They could feel the cold wind beating against their exposed cheeks and the smooth snow beneath their boards as they practiced careening down the mountain in the frigid air.

After the tenth time of throwing themselves down a particularly vertical blue, Yuki yelled out, "Again!" to which Soma grinned, "Hell yeah!"

His heavy trudging through the snow stopped however, when he caught a glimpse of golden blonde hair peeking out under a purple helmet. Soma chuckled as he watched Erina and Alice bicker as usual, catching the tail end of their conversation as he hiked towards them.

Alice was laughing uncontrollably, barely able to get her words out, "You…sounded like you were…negotiating the terms of a business deal!"

A mortified Erina seethed and shouted, "I told you I don't know what I'm doing!"

Alice sang back playfully, "You know what you could do…"

Soma called out cheerfully, interrupting their fight, "Yo, Nakiris! How's it going?"

He noticed Erina's face had gone as red as his hair for some reason, and she dutifully avoided eye contact with him. Alice merely smirked, "Oh hi, Yukihira! We're having a blast. How's it going for you?"

Soma high-fived Yuki, exclaiming, "Awesome! We just finished up our shift at the restaurant and now we're just shreddin'. This girl's a total natural!"

The teal-eyed girl squealed, "Yup! So is Yukihira! Erinacchi, I'd be worried about facing him! It may be his first time but he's already destroying the blues!"

Erina gaped at him furiously, "Are you telling me that you challenged me to something you'd never even done before? You presumptuous little…"

But her sentence was cut off by her new ski instructor Brad skidding to a halt right in front of the girls, a thin layer of snow flying out from under his skis.

Brad took sight of the newcomers and abruptly exclaimed, "Yukihira! What's up, bro?!"

To Erina's horror, Brad and Soma fist bumped and greeted each other like old pals!

Brad clarified, "I met this crazy dude at breakfast and let me tell you, he makes the BEST omelets ever! They're like super fluffy and bouncy!"

Soma chuckled and winked to Erina, offering his signature catchphrase, "It wasn't much!"

Brad continued, "Hey man, do you wanna ski with us? Technically it's a private lesson but since you guys are friends I'm sure Nakiri wouldn't mind, right?"

Erina fumed but tried her best to maintain her sweet demeanor, and she said through gritted teeth, "I'm sure Yukihira has better things to do."

Soma could only imagine the black diamonds they were skiing on, since he figured the wealthy Nakiri family probably had access to remote skiing locations all around the world. He shrugged, "Eh, today's only my first day but yeah I'm down to go on some crazier slopes!"

Brad shook his head in confusion, "Nah, don't worry, man! She's a beginner just like you. We mainly just did the bunny slopes and greens today."

Soma's jaw dropped, and his eyes gleamed with amusement as he sent Erina his best "caught ya" grin. The audacity of this girl to get mad for doing the exact same thing… He clapped a hand on her shoulder and stated firmly, "No worries, I wouldn't wanna interrupt her first lesson! She's got a big competition coming up at the end of the week and I'd hate to distract her."

With that, he shot her a final parting grin as he and Yuki took off to dominate the mountain once more.

* * *

 _Later that evening…_

*knock knock*

Soma rolled out of bed leisurely, despite the incessant knocking at the door. _Must be Takumi…_ he thought absentmindedly, recalling how the blonde Italian had sworn to challenge him on the slopes. He cracked open the hotel door to reveal a very nervous-looking Erina. Soma smiled warmly, "Yo, what's up?"

She kept her eyes glued to the floor and wrung her hands together nervously, stammering, "G-Good evening, Yukihira. May I speak with you for a moment?"

Soma felt that something must've been terribly wrong for her to be so apprehensive, and he allowed her to pass into his room. He asked worriedly, "Nakiri? Is everything okay?"

She squirmed in place for a while before finally lifting her face to meet his, only for her cheeks to burn as ferociously as the fireplace in his room when she came face-to-face with a shirtless (and well-built) Soma.

She blurted out tensely, "Put on a shirt, Yukihira! God, what is wrong with you?! Don't you have any decency in the company of a lady?!"

Soma blinked, then burst out laughing, "Alright, there she is! Phew, you were beginning to worry me!" He casually threw on a t-shirt, hiding his well-defined muscles from view. His smile never left his face as he continued to watch her fidget uncomfortably.

After a few moments of awkward silence, he asked calmly, "Seriously though, is something wrong?"

She nodded, then shook her head, clearly conflicted with herself. Erina slapped a hand across her forehead and muttered, "This was ridiculous, forget I came here."

She whirled around to leave, but Soma caught her hand. He pulled her around to face him, searching her amethyst eyes for any sign of distress.

He reassured her in a low voice, "Hey, it's okay. You can tell me. What's going on?"

As much as he loved to tease her, Erina was one of his best friends, and he would never want her to be unhappy in any way.

Her palms were sweaty, and she glanced down towards her feet, unwilling to meet his golden gaze. She closed her eyes and forced the words out, "I need your help."

Soma glanced worriedly at her squeezed fists and flushed cheeks, and he nodded in agreement. "Sure thing, what do you need?"

Erina groaned and ran a hand aggressively through her hair. Every word was like poison on her tongue.

"I need you… to teach me… how… to… flirt."


	2. Chapter 2

Soma stared wordlessly for what felt like an eternity before choking out a confused, "What?"

Erina rubbed her sweaty palms against her jeans and muttered, "Alice and Hisako believe I'm not as well-rounded as I could be in the dating department. They think I should be asking guys out and going on dates, seeing that we're third years now and need to 'prepare for the real world', or something like that."

An imperceptible frown appeared on Soma's face and he replied evenly, "I didn't think you were interested in stuff like that."

Erina blushed bright red and crossed her arms defensively, insisting, "Don't make me out to be some love-sick teenager, because I'm not! It's just that- well, I don't even know how to flirt. I'm too nervous to even try with the guys here!"

He vaguely understood her issue but he still didn't understand his role in her plan. Soma remarked hesitantly, "I don't get what you need me for. You want me to go out with you?"

Erina gasped and shrieked out of instinct, "As if you'd ever be lucky enough to go out with me!" She instantly clapped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment at berating the boy she was begging for help, but to her relief, Soma burst out laughing. He wiped a tear from his eyes as his laughter subdued and he replied cheekily and winked, "C'mon, you think I don't already know that?"

She hastily pointed at him and blurted out, "Okay see, that right there! Y-you're always flirting and I need pointers! Teach me how to do that! Except less shamefully," she scolded him, feeling as though a wink that charming should be illegal.

Soma cocked his head questioningly, "That was flirting?"

Erina glowered at him and tried her best to stifle the intense feeling of humiliation she felt, asserting through her clenched jaw, "Yes, Yukihira. That was flirting. You do it all the time. With everyone. Are you trying to tell me this entire time it's been unintentional?"

The redhead nodded, "I've never tried hitting on anyone, ever. Guess it must be natural charm, eh, Nakiri?" He jokingly jabbed her with his elbow, and she swatted it away furiously, growling at his nonchalant attitude during the most embarrassing moment of her life.

Erina ignored his claim, asking, "So, will you help me or not?"

Soma paused before answering. He'd never really thought about love and romance, what with being the first seat of the Elite Ten and all. Soma didn't have time to think about girls when everyday his mind was preoccupied by daily Shokugekis and rivalries that threatened the position he'd worked so hard for! And although all his friends had crushes and went out on dates, Soma had always found comfort in the fact that Erina was as unwaveringly focused as him. The fact that she was now thinking of dating seemed to stir something inside of him; not disappointment, but some other foreign feeling. Unable to identify it, he decided to trust his gut and he said shakily, "Uhh, I don't know. This feels kinda weird, you know?"

He glanced towards her face, expecting to see disappointment, but instead he was met with a defiant expression full of determination. She stated coolly, "Name your price."

Soma began, "Nakiri, there's nothing-"

Erina flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder unperturbedly and cut him off, "Everyone has a price, Yukihira. Name yours. What do you want? A nicer snowboard? A room upgrade?" She glanced around in search for more things she could give him when Soma's hands on her shoulders brought her back to reality. He was gently shaking her as if to jolt some sense back into her and he grinned, "As much as I love this, there's nothing I want!"

Erina refused to answer, instead choosing to stare straight into his yellow eyes. She could've guessed he wouldn't be easily swayed by material things. No matter, she still had one card left to play. She swallowed her pride and stated, "This is my final offer: if you help me, I'll taste one of your abominations."

Soma's eyes widened in shock and he burst out laughing at her obvious bluff, until he finally saw her serious expression. Her purple eyes were cold and unamused, and he muttered under his breath, "Holy shit, you're actually serious." While he still didn't like or understand the weird feeling in his stomach he got when thinking of Erina dating, he couldn't pass up this opportunity of feeding her one of his squid creations. His menacing aura increased as he thought of all the possible grotesque combinations he could come up with and he chuckled malevolently. It was too good of an offer to refuse. Soma stuck out a hand and struck his second deal of the week with the Tōtsuki princess. Plus, he rationalized, he'd get to spend extra time with his friend. Who doesn't like that?

* * *

"So after this we'll be kinda even," Soma mused aloud, "Remember when you gave us lessons to pass our exams in our first year? Now I get to be your teacher."

Erina nodded, recalling the stressful study sessions with her Polar Star friends and how Soma had strolled into her lessons late or would fall asleep in the middle of them. She smirked, "At least I'll be a better student than you."

Soma chuckled, "I'm pretty sure I was still your best student."

Erina laughed, "That's debatable."

He counter-offered, "That's fair. I'll settle for being your favorite."

She cocked an eyebrow at his boldness and said, "What would ever make you think you were my favorite?"

His golden eyes twinkled with mischief, reflecting the warm flames from the fireplace, and he replied calmly as if it were obvious. "Wasn't I?"

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of her lungs as Erina stood there, mulling over his question. She definitely liked all the new friends she'd made and enjoyed their company even during the most taxing time of her life. Megumi made her feel comfortable and safe, Yuki hyped her up, Takumi was gentlemanly and calm, and so on. She could list her friends' good qualities for ages and come up with a million reasons on paper as to why any one of them would be her favorite over Soma.

In fact, his presence was anything but comforting, as she recalled the hundreds of times over the years when hearing his voice down the hallway caused her stomach to twist into a million knots. She couldn't help but burst into a fit of nervous rage whenever he approached her with his bright smile and she never knew why.

And yet… no one compared to this infuriating man. It fought all logical reasoning within her, and she hated it.

Her inner monologue was cut short by Soma's hand waving in her face and he smiled, "Hello? You okay?" He pressed a hand to her forehead and Erina's eyes fluttered open wider in surprise, but before she could yell at him, he said, "Hm, you feel a little warm. Must be the fireplace. I'll get you something to drink!"

Soma cheerfully strolled past her, either not hearing her or ignoring her as she called out, "That's not necessary, I'm fine! I should go," but the door shut behind him, leaving Erina alone in his room. She sputtered in confusion, "What the…"

She debated whether or not to leave and just go back to her room, but something told her to stay. _It would be rude to just leave without saying goodbye,_ she told herself defensively.

* * *

Her eyes reflexively scanned the room, roaming over the kitchenette, the desk, the fireplace, and the bed. It was a nice room, she thought appreciatively. Definitely not on par with hers, but nice nonetheless, especially since it was practically free. After a minute of solitude, she turned on the TV and settled onto the couch, awkward and anxious in her current situation. She finally heard a card swipe at the door, and Soma finally returned after a few minutes holding two cold drinks in his hands. She muttered, "What took you so long?"

Soma passed her a cold glass and Erina caught a glimpse of some blue pen scribbled on his arm. Her eyes flew sharply back to his and she followed up instantly, "And what the hell is that?" She couldn't hide the icy tone of her voice and Soma heard it, oddly pleased she'd noticed the phone numbers scrawled on his arm.

The redhead chuckled self-consciously, pulling his white bandana back over the pen marks. "Research. I went down to the bar to get something cold since I don't have ice here, and I ran into some girls who wanted to talk forever! I figured it would be a good chance to learn and stuff so that I could help you!"

She huffed in displeasure, taking a sip of the smooth drink, which apparently had alcohol in it? _He must have some connection with the bartender now that he's working in their kitchen,_ Erina thought. Soma sat down next to her and propped his feet up on the coffee table, relaxing languidly back onto the couch watching TV with her. Erina stiffened nervously. She'd come here to strike a deal, and it worked. Now what? Could she leave? He didn't seem to be in any rush to kick her out!

She mumbled grumpily, "So, what did you learn?"

Soma hummed in thought and kept his eyes on the TV, shrugging, "Eye contact, body language, words. You know, the usual."

Erina clenched her glass so hard she thought it would break and she exclaimed, "No, I don't know, you idiot! That's why I'm here!"

Soma sighed as he lowered the TV's volume so that all that could be heard was a low murmur. He shifted in his seat until he faced her on the couch and smiled, "What do you want to know?"

Erina fumbled with her thoughts and admitted, "Everything. How did it start?"

Soma thought back and replied, "They came up to me and asked what I was drinking. They were giggling a lot which made me think they were probably flirting, so that was when I actually started paying attention. Uhh, there was a lot of this," Soma said as he dramatically flipped some make-believe long hair over his shoulder and twirled an imaginary strand of hair between his fingers, causing Erina to instantly question every single time she'd ever played with her hair.

He continued, "And they were smiling and asking lots of questions. I mean I don't know if that was all flirting but then they gave me their phone numbers, so I think it was. Unless they just wanted to be friends…" Soma trailed off, leaving Erina to smack herself in the face for trusting this moron.

Sure, he was good at flirting, but he couldn't even recognize the signs of someone liking him! She'd seen it time and time again during their last few years together! Why had she chosen him to be the one to help her?!

Erina murmured, "Oh my god… Even when a girl gives you her phone number you can't tell that she's flirting with you. This was a mistake." She picked herself up to leave when Soma laughed, "Wait, chill out, I told you I'm a beginner too! We're learning together!"

His adorable smile and earnest expression made her sigh exasperatedly and sit back down on the couch. She supposed it did make her feel a little better when he put it that way. They were helping each other out.

They nursed their drinks a bit more when Soma asked casually, "So, who's the guy?"

Erina went pink and her voice raised an octave as she played dumb. She murmured innocently, "What guy?"

Soma smirked, "The guy that obviously instigated all this. Alice harasses you, yeah, but not without cause. Someone must've caught your eye."

She sighed and took another sip of the drink. _Whatever_ , she thought grimly, _if he's going to help me, he might as well know the truth_. Erina blushed and said timidly, "You remember Brad, my skiing instructor?"

Soma stared blankly for a few moments before attempting to cover his smile with his hand; not because he was pleased that it was Brad, but because she looked so cute when she was shy like this.

He said, "Huh, interesting."

Erina quipped self-consciously, "What?"

Soma answered simply, "I guess he's okay if you're into the whole model thing."

Erina covered her face with her hands, embarrassed, and explained, "I figure if things go poorly, I can always just stop the lessons. Besides, we're way too far from home for me to ever run into him again."

Soma downed his drink and stared numbly at the TV. He eventually broke the silence as he couldn't help himself, teasing, "But really, Nakiri, your instructor? I didn't peg you as the type to be hot for teacher."

This earned him a fierce glare from the blonde, but he continued playfully, "And now you've asked me to help teach you as well? I don't know, seems like a recipe for trouble."

Erina gasped and set her drink down on the coffee table with a clank before hitting him in astonishment. She exclaimed, "You wish!", but Soma just laughed and ignored her, adding in a mock-serious tone, "Listen, let's just try to keep it professional. I like Brad, and the last thing we need is another love triangle."

She growled, "Idiot!" and continued pelting him with her fists but he caught them easily, grinning victoriously like a hungry lion right before capturing his prey. He held her wrists firmly in his hands, enjoying the frustrated look on her face and the bright pink blush on her cheeks. Shy Erina was one thing, but angry Erina? Soma could've sworn she was trying to look that cute on purpose. It must've been the altitude and the alcohol that made him feel tipsier than normal, because he leaned in a little towards the stunned girl. All that could be heard was the crackling from the fireplace and the low hum of voices from the TV. He lowered his voice to barely above a whisper, murmuring, "I mean seriously, what if you fall in love with me?"

Erina felt her mouth go dry as she stared into his liquid gold eyes. She was certain Soma could feel her pulse racing as he held both her wrists firmly, the thought only making her heart race faster. He continued quietly, "Not that I would mind. We'd make a pretty good couple, don't you think? Headmistress and first seat? The two that saved the school from Central? Ice Queen and Diner Boy?"

He released her wrists gently back onto her lap, but not before taking hold of one of her hands instead. He fully expected her to move away or pull her hand back, but instead she stayed where she was, eyes fiercely locked on his. She surprised him by matching his tone, challenging, "You couldn't handle it."

Soma's eyebrows shot up in astonishment, but he sent her a cocky grin and leaned in even closer, excited as he always was whenever Erina was near. He maintained playfully, "I'm sure that's true, but I wouldn't mind trying."

She rolled her eyes and declared, "You and everyone else. Get in line, Yukihira." She purposely used her free hand to flip her hair over her shoulder, smirking at the sparks of recognition in Soma's eyes once he recalled the move as a telltale sign of interest.

He shot back, "I'll just challenge them for you."

She giggled, "Is that your go-to response to everything?"

"Only the things I want badly enough," he murmured in a gravelly voice.

Erina felt like her head was spinning from the drink, the warm fire, and this insufferable boy. This was getting dangerous. She had to remind herself that Soma didn't even like her that way! This was an equally beneficial partnership. She looked down towards her lap in order to avoid his gaze when she finally noticed his hand was still holding hers, liking the feeling a little more than she cared to admit. She quickly pulled it away, succinctly ending their back-and-forth banter. Erina picked herself up from the couch, clearing her throat and said, "I should probably get going. Thanks for the lesson, Yukihira."

"Lesson?"

"That whole thing," she motioned airily towards the space between them, "Our 'dry run' went pretty well, I'd say."

Soma felt his heart drop for some reason at her words, but he nodded and plastered his signature dopey smile on his face. _Of course,_ he thought as he shook himself back to reality. He walked her to the door, chuckling awkwardly, "I gotta say, you seem to know what you're doing."

Erina rolled her eyes and laughed dryly, "Being that mean would only work on you. I swear, nobody on Earth loves being challenged the way you do."

Soma laughed and leaned against the doorframe, nodding in acceptance. "Yeah, I guess that's true, but still. I think you've got a lot of potential, Nakiri." He winked playfully, once again sending a rush of adrenaline through her veins.

She accepted the compliment wordlessly and beckoned him goodnight as she made her way back towards the elevators.

* * *

Soma retreated into his room and collapsed onto his bed. _Man, what a fucking night,_ he thought. He'd had fun, no doubt, but he still couldn't ignore that strange alien feeling in his gut that this arrangement was not a good idea. He typically didn't like getting involved whenever his female friends asked him for advice, so he had nothing to compare this to. This was probably the same feeling he'd get if Ryoko or Megumi asked him for help, right?

Soma got ready for bed mechanically, allowing his body to go through the motions while his mind wandered off toward Erina and Brad. The sick feeling grew as he thought of her flirting with Brad; how she'd run her hands through her silky blonde hair distractingly, how she'd conjure up that hypnotizing smile he'd seen her use during school speeches when she knew she had to turn on the charm.

 _Oh!_ _I know what it is!_ A bolt of lightning struck him right on the head as he shot up in bed, finally realizing what the problem was.

He didn't even know Brad! How could he let one of his best friends date a guy he didn't even know? Soma settled back into bed with peace of mind and a new goal: get to know Brad and make sure he was good enough for Erina. The knot in his stomach unraveled as he convinced himself he was just being a good friend. As Soma drifted off to sleep, his mind wandered back to snowboarding; he wondered innocently how long it would take to win against a professional like Brad.

Tomorrow, he decided, he would go down a black diamond.


	3. Chapter 3

When Erina had come back to the room, Alice had bombarded her with questions while Hisako quietly sat cross-legged on the bed with wide eyes, listening to the whole story. Erina had decided to leave out a few of the more confusing details, like how Soma had leaned in so closely she could feel his warm breath against her face, or how strangely sexy his low voice sounded when he was jesting with her. How was it that the feel of Soma's hand on hers now made her heart twinge in anticipation? How was it that she relished every interaction they had even when they left her blood boiling? Last she checked, she couldn't stand the redhead!

Once she had finished recounting what had happened, the girls began getting ready for bed. Alice stated from the bathroom vanity, "Well, I'm glad that's settled. Now you can focus on your new crush and get over your old one! Although it'll be kinda weird since your old crush is the one helping you get with your new one!" She giggled at the coincidence and continued her nightly beauty routine, slathering on moisturizer. This cold air really wasn't good for her skin.

Erina sat up in her bed and stuttered, "W-what are you referring to? I never liked Yukihira! We're just friends!"

Alice rolled her eyes and glared at her through the mirror, "Really, Erina? We're third years, and you're still sticking with this story?"

Erina clenched her bedsheets violently and insisted, "It's not a story, I've never liked him! In fact, I can hardly stand him! He's so annoying! Always thinking he's going to get to my level. As if! And that dumb cocky smile on his face! He's lucky I haven't thrown him out of Tōtsuki already."

Hisako murmured, "Look what you did, Alice. Now she's too riled up and she won't be able to go to bed. You know Yukihira does this to her!"

Alice ignored Erina's tantrum, replying coolly to Hisako, "That's exactly how I know she likes him. Erina always acts this way about the people she cares most about." She turned to Erina, "And I might've believed that our first year, but too much has happened between you two since then. Can you honestly look me in the eyes and tell me there's nothing there?"

Erina peered into her cousin's red eyes and searched for any hidden malice or scheming, but all she saw was concern. Erina pulled her knees up to her chest and sighed. She admitted quietly, "I don't know. First and second year, I didn't have time to think about him- or guys in general. I was too busy with balancing work, school, tastings, Shokugekis, and everything else." She scoffed, "Besides, in all that time, he never even made a move, and he flirts with every girl in our class, regardless of whether he knows it or not, so I'm not holding my breath. I'd rather just forget about this whole embarrassing ordeal and start fresh."

Alice and Hisako frowned but said nothing, choosing instead to let their silence speak for itself.

* * *

The next morning, Erina awoke leisurely to the sunlight streaming through the giant windows, and after sleeping in and processing everything, she felt refreshed and refocused. Erina reminded herself that it was all just a game, and their playful banter didn't really mean anything. He acted like that around all the girls, and he was just doing her a favor because they were friends. Simple and easy.

Honestly, she was grateful to him. Erina didn't have many friends growing up, and Soma, as much as she hated to admit it, had proved to be a true one. She wasn't going to risk making her small friend group even smaller just because she was confused about her feelings!

The bright sunlight from outside seemed to reflect her mood, and she felt clear-headed once again as she smiled to herself in the mirror, brushing her long golden hair, thinking of how few friends would do something as silly as this for another. _There is absolutely no reason to jeopardize this_ , she thought with conviction.

The three girls strode into the hotel's restaurant for breakfast with Alice prattling on excitedly, until she suddenly froze and whispered, "Girls, look over there!" She nodded her head towards the other end of the restaurant.

Hisako and Erina turned inconspicuously to find Ryo, Akira, Soma, and Brad all sitting together eating breakfast!

Erina's eyes were glued to the group, and she felt her pulse race nervously as she watched Soma and Brad laugh together. Panic and paranoia set in- were they talking about her?! She didn't even notice when her legs started moving on their own, forcing her to make her way over to the group of boys.

"Good morning," she said uneasily as eight eyes turned at once in her direction.

Soma was the first to greet her, wasting no time in stealing a chair from the table next to them and offering it to her. Erina was about to refuse as she and the girls were already seated, but Alice came up behind her with Hisako in tow. Alice gladly accepted the invitation and she pulled up a chair in between Ryo and Akira, grinning at the unexpected get-together. Hisako sat shyly on Akira's other side, leaving Erina no choice but to sit between Soma and Brad.

Erina turned towards her ski instructor and laughed nervously, "I see you've met everyone."

Brad said, "Yukihira introduced me to your friends. You didn't mention you went to some crazy competitive cooking school!"

She smiled with pride, "Yes, Tōtsuki is a world-class culinary institution. We're all chefs there. Some better than others, I might add." She couldn't help but take a jab at Soma, but as he opened his mouth to argue, Hisako chimed in excitedly, "Erina is also the headmistress!"

Brad, who was visibly impressed, admitted, "Damn, I can barely make rice!" He leisurely put an arm around the back of her chair and shot Erina an award-winning smile, insisting, "You should totally teach me to cook something."

Flustered, Erina giggled and nodded shyly, causing Akira and Ryo to stare in confusion at whatever the hell was transpiring between the pair. Ryo muttered, "What's going o-" but was interrupted by Alice shoving a handful of toast in his mouth, quickly silencing him.

Alice changed the subject smoothly, "So, what do you boys have planned for today?"

Ryo took the hint and growled between mouthfuls of food, "Going snowmobiling later."

Brad explained, "I was telling the guys how I lead groups to go snowmobiling through the mountains and employees get discounts, so everyone working in the kitchens can get an awesome deal! We're planning on going this afternoon if you guys wanna come!"

Alice exclaimed, "Ooh, that sounds like fun!"

Brad shot her a thumbs up and grinned, "Awesome! I think we still have enough room on the tour! We might have to double up on snowmobiles though…"

The white-haired girl squealed and turned to Ryo, "We can share!"

Ryo merely grunted in acceptance and Alice continued innocently, "And Erina can share with you, if you don't mind, Brad?"

Erina's face went bright pink at her cousin's not-so-subtle attempts at getting them together, but the handsome instructor didn't seem to notice. Brad smiled warmly, "For sure! I should probably go make sure we've got all the snowmobiles we need so I'll see you guys later!"

He turned to Erina and asked, "And we're still on for our lesson this morning?"

Erina giggled nervously in agreement, and the group waved goodbye to Brad as he excused himself from breakfast. Erina waited until he had left the restaurant before leaning in and hissing angrily towards the boys, "What do you guys think you're doing?"

Soma casually popped a grape into his mouth and shrugged, "Getting to know your boyfriend. I had to make sure he wasn't a serial killer before hooking you two up."

Akira shook his head in confusion, "Wait, what? Yukihira, you never mentioned anything about trying to get them together."

Soma replied, "Well duh, I didn't want you guys to blow the mission. The less you know, the better!"

Ryo gruffly asked Erina, "You're into that pretty boy? You heard him, he can't even cook rice."

Erina frowned and exclaimed, "Would everyone stop talking about this here in public?!"

Hisako offered, "He was very pretty though. I can see why you like him," earning disbelieving interjections from all the guys present. Akira frowned, "Really? You're encouraging this?" while Soma simultaneously muttered, "He's not that good-looking."

Alice shouted over all of them, "Who cares who or what Erina does on her vacation?! What happens in the mountains, stays in the mountains!"

Erina exploded out of her seat, "Let me make it clear, Erina is not 'doing' anyone or anything! Stay out of it! Now if you'll excuse me, I've lost my appetite!" She stormed off in a huff towards the exit and Hisako chased after her, leaving the remaining friends staring at their retreating figures in bewilderment.

"What's up with her?" Ryo muttered, still shoveling food down.

Soma shrugged, but he subtly pushed his plate away. He had also seemingly lost his appetite.

* * *

Later that afternoon, all the Tōtsuki kids had assembled in the wide open plain, ready to start snowmobiling through the mountains. Ryoko and Yuki pestered Shun, "Will you even be able to see?" staring fixedly at his long bangs which covered his eyes, while Ikumi and Takumi fought passionately over who would be a better driver. Soma weaved through his excited friends towards Erina and asked her quietly, "So, how'd your lessons go this morning? Any progress?"

Erina blushed and whispered, "I think so? He seems friendlier and more talkative than yesterday. But I can't tell if it's because I'm his student and he has to be, or if it's because he actually likes me."

Soma found himself entranced by the way she was biting her bottom lip and without thinking, he blurted out supportively, "Of course he likes you."

Erina's purple eyes widened in shock but she smirked and thanked him quietly for his vote of confidence. He watched as she turned toward Brad, who was now addressing the group and stating the safety rules out loud.

Soma couldn't help but sneak peeks at her rosy cheeks and shy expression as she watched him; she looked so different when she liked someone. Erina was constantly yelling at Soma over everything, and he'd almost forgotten what she looked like when she was happy. Something like a pit grew hard and heavy in his stomach as he watched her look so expectantly at another man, and he felt like he was going to be sick.

Brad's next announcement cut off Soma's train of thought, "Alright everyone, we've got limited snowmobiles here, so some people are going to have to partner up!"

In something resembling musical chairs, the friends began pairing off and saddling themselves precariously on the bikes. Soma watched intently as Brad helped Erina onto the bike, and he hardly noticed when Ikumi found herself beside him and was asking shyly, "Got any room for me?"

Soma snapped out of his trance at the sound of her voice and he nodded dazedly, passing her the spare helmet. He mustered up a smile, "Of course, Nikumi! Hop on!"

The tan girl greedily accepted the helmet and hopped on behind him, already wrapping her arms around his built frame. Ikumi did her best to hide her smile behind his back, as she had been crushing on him since they were first years! She'd always wondered what it would be like to get to ride with him on his motorcycle, and here they were doing the next best thing!

Her small smile did not go unnoticed though; Erina caught a glimpse of the pair through the side mirror of her bike. She saw the two of them put their helmets on, effectively hiding the girl's giddy smile, and Erina felt her muscles tense in irritation. Erina wondered, _Does she have no shame?! I bet she's purposely pressing herself up against him! And seriously, who wears a bikini to go out in the snow?!_

She dug her arms more firmly around Brad. _Whatever, this is fine. We're friends! They're friends! We're all friends!_ She reflexively squeezed harder until Brad made a choking sound and groaned, "Nakiri, you're going to kill me." Erina squeaked in embarrassment and released her death grip.

He chuckled, "Don't be nervous! This'll be fun!"

She quickly faked a nervous giggle and tried her best to relax back into her role of "effortlessly sweet and flirty", which took way more work than she cared to admit.

Brad patted a gloved hand over the arm wound over his abdomen and lectured, "Passengers are actually supposed to hold onto the handlebars for stability."

Erina disappointedly removed her arms from his strong body, but she didn't miss a beat in relaying the message loudly to everyone behind them. Her face held a secretly victorious grin when she saw Ikumi regretfully remove her arms from around their friend as well.

On Brad's mark, they took off on their snowmobiles through the trail in the woods. The pristine snow coated the path and trees in thick pillows of white, and they could feel the hum of the engine vibrating under their bodies as they rode. After a few moments, they stopped at the edge of a cliff and peered down over the small ski town, breathing in the chilly air and taking in the gorgeous sights of the icy mountains, lakes and valleys.

Soma helped Ikumi off the bike, and when she took off her helmet to reveal her flushed face, he wondered with concern, "Yo, is your helmet too warm? You're all red, Nikumi!"

She sputtered, "Uh, yeah! It's super warm in those, don't you think?!"

Soma nodded understandingly, "I guess I'm so used to wearing one for my own bike I forgot. Hey, Megumi!" He called out as he saw the navy-haired girl approaching him.

"Soma-kun! This is so much fun! Is this how you always feel on your bike?" She giggled at the rush of adrenaline she still felt coursing through her veins.

The boy nodded happily, "Yeah, isn't it such an awesome feeling? Now you shouldn't be afraid to ride with me to school!"

Megumi smiled serenely, "Hmm, I don't know about every day, but maybe on the days I'm running late."

Ikumi nearly fainted at the thought of riding to school everyday with Soma, and a few months ago Megumi would have as well! However, as they entered their third year, Megumi had grown past her crush on Soma, and she realized they would always be better as friends. After she let go of this crush, she was able to see other guys in a new light, and she realized in shock that there were plenty of eligible bachelors at Totsuki dying to talk to her! However, there was one man in particular who occupied most of her thoughts as of late.

Takumi bounced over, just as invigorated by the experience as Megumi. The Italian pointed at Soma fiercely and exclaimed, "You, me, street race back at Tōtsuki!"

Ikumi defended Soma hastily and got in Takumi's face, yelling back, "You don't even have a bike!"

Takumi threw up his hands in the air frustratedly, "Well, I'll get one! And then we'll race! Stop fighting me Mito-san, I need to talk to Yukihira." Switching gears, the blonde boy dropped his competitive side and leaned in a little to say quietly, "Hey Yukihira, I heard something's going on between Nakiri and the ski instructor. Is that true?"

Megumi and Ikumi's eyes widened in shock and they turned to Soma for confirmation. He nodded, and Takumi sighed dejectedly and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Tough break man, but it'll be okay. Something like this won't last."

Soma blinked in confusion and cocked his head to the side, "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Takumi stated slowly, "I mean the fact that she's dating other guys. It's gotta be tough."

Soma asked, "Why? I'm helping her get with him."

The group stared in disbelief. All at once, Takumi exclaimed in Italian, "Idiota!", Megumi covered her mouth in shock, and Ikumi muttered, "Oh my god."

Soma crossed his arms in frustration, "What?!"

His friends stared blankly at him and shook their heads, collectively muttering, "Nothing." If he hadn't figured it out by now, he probably never would!

Ikumi sniffed, "I think it's good she's meeting new people."

Takumi snorted and muttered under his breath, "You would."

She growled, and before the two could butt heads, Megumi softly pulled Soma off to the side. She asked kindly, "Are you sure it's a good idea to get involved in Erina's love life?"

Soma replied, "I didn't want to but she kinda made me an offer I couldn't refuse. If I help her, she'll eat anything I serve her. But apart from that, we're friends and stuff so why not, right?"

Megumi hesitated, but in the end, she decided not to say anything. This would need to be a lesson they learned on their own. She settled for giving Soma a small hug and telling him, "Okay, Soma-kun. If you need anything, you know where to find me."

* * *

On the other side of the plain, Erina shuffled her feet absentmindedly in the snow, trying to remember what Soma had told her those girls had done when they were flirting with him. She approached Brad cautiously as he was standing dangerously near the edge of the cliff. "Nice view."

Brad turned to her and gave her a bright smile, "Isn't it? I never get tired of this."

Erina made polite conversation, asking, "So, how long have you been working here?"

The handsome boy thought for a moment before replying, "I think almost 4 years now. I can't believe it's been this long already! Time flies when you're having fun, right?"

 _I wouldn't know_ , Erina thought bitterly about all the responsibilities she had back at home, but she smiled nonetheless and nodded agreeably. She asked, "Do you have family here?"

He shook his head, "Nah, family's all back south, but it's cool. The people at the resort are like my family! We're super tight-knit. Kinda like what you guys have going on." He nodded towards her rowdy group of friends who had now started a snowball fight and were ducking behind the snowmobiles and trees for cover.

She giggled, "I suppose. Although as headmistress, I really shouldn't be getting so involved in my students' lives."

Brad smirked, "I think it's cool. You can use your powers to get them out of trouble," he laughed cheerfully. "Seems like some of them probably need that more than others." He looked pointedly at Soma, who was trying to climb a tree to get away from being pelted by Shoji and Daigo.

"Ugh, you have no idea," she laughed loudly and gazed up at the redheaded boy, who was wearing the same adorable smile that he always wore. If there was one thing she could count on, it was Soma's cheerful greeting whenever he saw her. Erina reluctantly tore her eyes from her friend and when she looked back at Brad, she noticed he wore an odd expression and his eyebrows were raised in intrigue.

She asked self-consciously, "What?" but he shrugged it off and muttered, "Nothing."

Before she could push the issue, he raised his voice for the group and clapped his hands loudly, announcing, "Alright everyone, back on the bikes! Feel free to switch it up. If you drove here, let your partner drive if they want!"

Erina bounced up quickly and blurted out to her partner, "I want to drive!"

Brad's face dropped and he hastily apologized, "Shit, I should've been more specific. I have to lead the group since I'm the only one who knows where we're going…"

Erina couldn't help but pout, and she murmured disappointedly, "Oh, of course. That makes perfect sense."

He felt terrible at the girl's sudden sadness and said understandingly, "You know, if you want to drive with someone else, it's totally fine! This isn't something you get to do every day. Go see if one of your friends will let you drive, and if not, we'll take it out for a joyride once we get back!"

Erina squealed in excitement, "Really? You wouldn't mind?"

Brad shook his head, "Go for it!"

She thanked him and swiftly turned her head to see which of the bikes only had one rider. Or…

Erina tossed her blonde hair smoothly over her shoulder and she strutted over to Soma and Ikumi. Planting a sweet smile on her face, she asked innocently, "Hey Ikumi, were you planning on driving this time around?"

The green-eyed girl shook her head. She was perfectly content with sitting behind Soma and letting him steer as she daydreamed against his back. Erina purred sweetly, "Then would you mind switching with me? Brad said he needs to drive the whole way since he's leading the group and I really wanted a chance to drive."

Ikumi narrowed her eyes angrily at Erina. _Oh my god! She wants both of them!_ She somehow managed to contain her rage however, remarking evenly, "I guess if Yukihira's cool with it."

Soma stumbled, taken aback, "Y-yeah, that's fine. I guess I'll see you back at the resort, Nikumi!"

Ikumi pushed past Erina, who only wore a cool smile of amusement. She looked at Soma, who was still sitting in the driver's seat. He grinned at her, "You sure you can handle it, Nakiri?"

Erina laughed confidently, "Please, if you can do it, I can do it. Now move."

Soma smirked and hopped off the bike, helping Erina back onto the seat he had just occupied. Once she was settled in the driver's seat, he hopped back on behind her, settling his hands next to hers on the handlebars. He leaned forward and looked over her shoulder in order to teach her how to drive, but the gentle breeze kept sending her hair's intoxicating lavender scent directly towards him.

He tried to remember how to drive so he could show her, but his mind went blank. He urged himself, _words, Soma, use your words!_ But it was like he had forgotten how to speak! Did she always use that shampoo? And why did it smell so fucking good?

"Are you having a stroke or something?" Erina snapped irritatedly, already feeling her cheeks redden from knowing his face was hovering inches by her own. She kept her eyes firmly forward, since if she turned her head to face him, she was certain she'd lose herself in those amber eyes of his.

Soma blinked and said nothing for a moment, then burst out laughing, dropping his forehead on her shoulder as he chuckled. _Typical Nakiri. What the hell was I thinking?_ Erina's sudden change from haughty to snippy at the drop of a hat was all it took to shake him back to reality.

After recovering from his laughter, he admitted, "I was a little distracted by your shampoo. Aren't we not supposed to use scented hair products as chefs?"

Erina self-consciously moved her hair towards her other shoulder and she scolded him, "As if I would ever need reminding of culinary procedures by a diner brat! And if you must know, I normally don't, but right now I'm on vacation, so I can do whatever I want!"

Soma smirked at her mini rant and said in a low voice, "Chill, Nakiri, I didn't say it was a bad thing. Just that it was a bit distracting." He glanced down at her bare neck and felt a lump form in his throat at the sight of her perfect skin. _Not that this is any less distracting._

Erina huffed dismissively, "Are you going to teach me or what? The rest of our friends are leaving!" Erina pointed hurriedly at the snowmobiles that were inching forward in front of them and Soma doubled-down on his efforts to concentrate. He guided her gloved hands and put them on the throttle and the brake, quickly giving her a rundown on how to drive.

Soma asked, "Ready?" after he felt she'd learned the basics.

She nodded confidently, "Always," and began strapping her helmet on when Soma surprised her by asking, "Say, why'd you pick driving with me? You could've sat with anyone."

Erina threw her helmet on to hide the fierce blush inching onto her cheeks but she pushed the eye shield up to look at him. She lied in a steely voice, "I didn't see any other available spots, and Ikumi said she didn't care to drive. Does it bother you that I sat here?"

Startled, he said, "No, of course not, I just thought it was weird, since you always seem frustrated whenever we're together." He thought back to the dreamy look on her face when she'd been listening to Brad talk versus how she always looked like she wanted to strangle him.

Erina felt a little bad for always exploding at him, but she really didn't know why herself, so she couldn't promise it wouldn't keep happening. Instead, she decided to throw him a bone and she smirked, "Maybe I just wanted you to see up close how good I am at everything outside the kitchen."

Soma felt his mouth go dry as he stared into her twinkling amethyst eyes, and he did his best to shove down the less-than-innocent thoughts that immediately flooded his mind at her words.

The corner of his mouth turned upwards into a roguish grin and he murmured, "Then by all means, Princess. Lead the way."


	4. Chapter 4

They took off on the winding path, through the snowy trees and over the white hills. Their group had long gone, but they followed the trail their friends had inadvertently left in the snow with their machines. Erina did her best not to scream in delight while they flew, as she still wanted to maintain some semblance of professionalism, but thankfully her bright smile was hidden under her helmet. Erina sped up more, because the snow had begun falling rapidly, and soon, any clues on the trail would be gone. She revved the engine to go faster and was rewarded when Soma whooped loudly behind her, egging her on.

Within moments, they found themselves climbing steadily up a slope, the engine thrumming with exertion as they went higher and higher. Suddenly, Erina stopped.

"What's wrong?" Soma asked, his voice muffled from beneath his helmet.

She tore off her own and pointed up ahead, "There's a fork in the road, and it looks like both paths were used recently. I don't know which way to go."

His eyes followed her finger and found that indeed, there were two paths going in seemingly opposite directions, both with recent snowmobile tracks. Soma took his helmet off as well and hopped off the bike to investigate. He panted with effort as he climbed towards the top, eventually finding a sign that had been covered in snow.

The sign indicated that if they went left, it would take them back towards the beginning of the trail. If they went right, they would continue on towards the tea house at the top.

He called out to Erina to let her know their options, and she yelled out in response, "Let's go back! It makes more sense to just go to the beginning and once they notice we're missing, they'll go find us there!"

Soma countered, "But this ride was supposed to last, like, another 2 hours. It only took us an hour to get to this point from the beginning, so Brad probably had something like this planned! And plus, this tea house was listed as one of the attractions in the brochure! I'm 90% certain they're up there!"

Erina crossed her arms and yelled from below, "Your plan is based on speculation and mine is based on facts! I'm not just going to act wildly because you have a hunch! We should go back toward the beginning!"

Soma gestured dramatically towards the right-most trail and argued, "My gut's never wrong, Nakiri! You know that! Besides, even if they're not there, I'm hungry and I want a snack!"

Erina gaped at him for a moment before slamming her fists against the snowmobile and exploding, "Yukihira! For once in your life, can you stop thinking about food?! We're going back and that's final!"

She kicked the bike alive again and gunned the engine angrily to meet him at the top. _If he doesn't want to go, fine by me! He can stay out here in the cold overnight!_

But to her surprise, the bike didn't move. She continued throttling the engine violently, hearing the engine roar, but for whatever reason, it refused to climb up the hill. She finally released it in a panic when she saw Soma slipping down the mountain hurriedly, waving his arms. He yelled, "Stop doing that! The harder you do that, the more it's gonna get stuck!"

 _What?_ She blinked once, then dared to look at the machine.

He was right. It was stuck in the snow.

Soma cursed under his breath and wiggled the heavy snowmobile, trying his best to get it out of the hole it had somehow created. He muttered, "My motorcycle gets stuck in the mud sometimes and throttling the engine like that only makes it worse."

Erina instinctively defended herself, "How was I supposed to know the stupid thing would get stuck?! It was working fine before!"

Soma lifted his hands in mock surrender and shot her a wry smile, "Calm down, I know there's no way you'd know. And if we were on a flat road, I'm sure it would've been fine, but all the fresh snow made the bike sink, and stopping uphill isn't great on the engine."

He circled the machine silently, inspecting every inch, until Erina couldn't take it anymore. "So? Can you get it out?"

He ran a hand frustratedly through his spiky hair, which somehow hadn't been flattened by his helmet, and he said defeatedly, "I don't think so. I don't even want to try to dig this thing out."

Erina gasped in alarm, "So we're stuck here?!" Her mind reeled at the thought of being stranded in the freezing cold wilderness- no shelter, no food, no Hisako! She frantically pulled out her phone to check for service, but to no avail. She warned, "And no cell service either."

Soma checked his own useless phone and sighed, "Alright, I think we have three options. We can stay here and wait for people to find us, we can walk back to the trailhead, or we can walk to the tea house. I vote tea house."

She began to argue, but he continued, "It took us an hour by snowmobile to get here from the beginning. If we go back towards the trailhead by foot, we'll be walking for hours! Plus, there's no guarantee anyone will be there."

He pointed toward the greyish sky, which was sending flurries of snow down onto the pair, saying, "The snow's picking up and we can't call anyone. We should just keep going up to the tea house; it's a lot closer, and someone's probably running it. We can warm up there and call someone at the hotel to let them know what happened."

Erina sighed grumpily but said nothing, prompting Soma to eventually shrug indifferently, "Fine, suit yourself. You can stay here or walk back for hours on your own, but I'm goin' up." He turned and began hiking up the steep mountain.

Erina watched in panic as her only chance of survival walked away, and she shrieked, "W-What! You jerk! You can't just leave me here, Yukihira!" chasing after him, begrudgingly accepting his plan as the best course of action. They set off, walking up to the fork in the road, and turning right.

* * *

They trudged through the forest silently, the only sounds coming from the snow crunching beneath their feet. Soma with his hands in his pockets, and Erina with her arms crossed protectively.

Soma joked good-naturedly, "Relaxing vacation so far, eh, Nakiri?"

Erina rolled her eyes and muttered, "I should have known it wouldn't be relaxing the second I saw you walk into the lobby."

Soma frowned, "Hey, this wasn't my fault; if anything, it was your fault we got stuck."

Erina seethed, "We wouldn't have been separated from the group if you hadn't taken your sweet time teaching me how to drive!"

Soma didn't know what to say, as she wasn't entirely wrong, and he yelled, unsettled, "I was distracted by your decision to apparently perfume your entire body! Probably for Brad, no doubt."

Erina's eyes narrowed and she said self-consciously, "I did no such thing!"

Soma rolled his eyes and said a little coldly, "Sure, whatever you say. Ya know, I don't get why you needed my help. Seems like you're doing fine on your own."

Erina stiffened and said quietly, "Alice kept making fun of me for being too 'professional' with him."

Soma didn't seem too convinced. He muttered, "That's who you are though."

Erina kept her eyes forward and said quietly, "I don't know... As much as I hate to admit it, I think she's right. I have a tendency to hide behind formalities to avoid..." she mumbled so much Soma had to strain to hear her, "...showing emotions."

Soma interjected sarcastically, "Really? You don't say?"

She jabbed him playfully, "Shut up. Besides, if I showed him the real me, he'd never be interested in that."

Curious, Soma asked, "And what's the real you?"

Erina responded icily, "Cold, arrogant, elitist. You know, all the things they say about me at school."

Soma stopped walking and turned to face her, "You don't actually believe that, right?"

Her face remained as impassive as stone as she muttered, "If so many people say it, it must be true."

Soma grabbed her shoulders firmly and looked into her eyes. He affirmed, "You know there are like a million other sides to you, right?"

She tried to shrug away from him but he held her tightly and continued, "You're awesome, Nakiri. You're crazy talented, witty, super smart, nice when you wanna be," he chuckled, "I could go on and on."

Erina's face was the reddest he'd ever seen it, and he loosened his grip on her shoulders. Why the hell did he just go on a rant about all the things he liked about Erina? He didn't even realize he held some of those opinions until just now when he blurted them out.

She stared at him with the oddest expression of disbelief. After a full minute of silence, she finally murmured, "Well, thank you, Yukihira. That's very nice of you, albeit a tad inappropriate, to say those things. After all, you're my subordinate. Try to act accordingly."

He let out a small relieved laugh and rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly. "Will do, Ms. Nakiri."

* * *

"Oi, we're here!" Soma exclaimed cheerfully after what felt like forever. They had been walking for at least an hour when they finally came across the cozy-looking wooden tea house.

"Finally!" Erina groaned. She felt beaten down and worn out. She certainly kept herself in good shape, but trudging through the freezing cold with this bumbling idiot was enough to make her want to throw herself off the mountain.

They made their way up the rickety steps and pushed past the door, feeling the warmth from the inside of the cozy restaurant tingle throughout their bodies. The smell of freshly baked goods and teas wafted towards them, and they breathed sighs of relief at once again being in civilization.

Soma called out to the seemingly empty place, and a friendly round-faced woman popped out from behind the backroom. She greeted them warmly, "Hi folks, how can I help you?"

Erina explained, "We were part of a snowmobile tour and ours got stuck in the snow about 5 miles ago. We were hoping our group might be here, but from the looks of it, they aren't." She shot Soma a pointed look and glared at him, but he seemed too distracted by the wide assortment of food behind the glass display to notice. He pointed to a pastry in the back and wondered aloud, "Have you tried making this with mixed berries instead?"

The woman fussed over them maternally, "Oh no, you poor kids! Would you like some tea? I'll make you some tea! Can I call someone for you?"

Erina waved her hands in appeasement, "That's quite alright, we have phones, we just didn't have service where our snowmobile got stuck! Thank you so much!"

The kind lady assured them, "It's really no trouble, as you can see the place is empty now due to the heavy snow. We don't get a lot of hikers during this weather."

She rushed off to the kitchen to brew some hot tea for the freezing teenagers, leaving Soma and Erina to call their friends and the hotel. Soma immediately called the hotel manager to send a crew out for their abandoned ride, while Erina tried Hisako. _She must be so worried right now_ , she thought worriedly as she called.

The phone rang once, and she immediately picked up. Hisako's anxious voice spilled out of the phone, "Erina! You're alive! Where are you?! We noticed you were gone the next time we stopped, and Brad turned around to go find you guys, but all he found was your snowmobile! I thought you were dead!"

Hisako was practically sobbing on the phone and Erina did her best to console her and explain what had happened. Once she let her know where they were, Hisako assured her they were on their way to get them!

Erina breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank god. I thought I was going to be stranded here with Yukihira." Soma narrowed his eyes in annoyance at her comment but continued his conversation with the hotel manager.

She heard rustling on the other end of the phone and an irritated Hisako's "Hey!" but a moment later, Alice's clear voice rang through the phone. "Erina! You're okay! What happened, you and Yukihira just couldn't wait to get back to the hotel for some alone time?"

Erina's eyes flew to Soma's face to see if he'd heard Alice, but he gave no sign of it, and she dropped her voice to a whisper, hissing, "No, of course not! Put Hisako back on the phone!"

Alice pouted, "Mou, why don't you want to talk to me? I was worried about you too!"

Erina sighed ashamedly. Alice was so good at guilt-tripping. "Sorry, Alice, you're right. I appreciate it, but we're fine."

Alice sang, "You're welcome. Of course I'm going to worry about my favorite cousin. And it turns out I wasn't the only one who was worried… Brad was totally freaking out when he noticed you were gone!"

Erina laughed bitterly, "Obviously. One of his customers just got lost in the woods and now he's liable."

Alice argued, "No, it was more than that! Like, he was really worried about how you were feeling and stuff! Trust me on this. Woman's intuition! He likes you!"

Erina blushed and dismissed her, not really believing it, "Okay, Alice. Whatever you say. Listen, I need to save my battery so I should go. Just send someone out here immediately to come pick us up!"

Alice chirped, "Roger that! Have fun with Yukihira!"

* * *

Soma and Erina found a comfortable sitting nook by the windowsill, and they curled up onto the respective ends of the bench with their hot cups of tea. They stayed silent for a few moments, watching the snow swirl in the icy tundra outside.

Erina filled him in, "Hisako said she and Brad are coming to get us."

Soma nodded in acknowledgment and teased, "Cool. Brad to the rescue."

The blonde blushed and whispered confidingly, "Alice said he was really worried."

Soma snorted, "He was probably more worried about me. They probably have a bet to see how long it takes for you to kill me."

She let out a giggle, but she still glared, "No, he doesn't know about that side of me and he will never find out."

Soma shot her an amused look, "So what, you're just going to lie to him about your entire personality? Damn, girls are scary."

Erina crossed her arms over her chest and sniffed, "It's not lying. It's selective showing... Whatever, Yukihira, I don't have to explain myself to you!"

Soma said, a little irritated, "I just feel like if this guy's really worth your time then he'll like all of you."

Soma was getting tired of talking about Brad. He didn't know why, since he really didn't have a problem with the guy, but all this girl talk with Erina was starting to get on his nerves. He wished he'd never agreed to help her with this problem in the first place.

"You should just ask him out," Soma muttered, thinking once she did that, she wouldn't need to keep coming to him for flirting advice. They'd be together, and that would be that.

Erina blushed, "Really? That's so forward, I don't know if I can do that."

Soma leaned his head against the window, frowning back, "Why not? It's hot when girls take the first step."

Erina's eyes widened and she instinctively hissed, "I'm not trying to be 'hot'! Don't be so vulgar."

Soma gave her a deliberately slow once-over before locking his honey eyes on hers, the corner of his mouth just barely turning upwards into a sly smile. He murmured lowly, "Hate to break it to you, but you're failing."

Erina gasped and kicked him softly, eliciting a chuckle from the impish boy. She muttered, "You are ridiculous, Yukihira," but she couldn't hide the glowing blush on her face from receiving such a compliment.

Soma rolled his eyes and laughed, "Seriously, just ask him out. I think he'd appreciate it."

She hesitated, "What if…"

Soma gestured with his hand to go on, "What if…what?"

Erina buried her face under her hands, "What if he tries to kiss me?!"

Soma froze. For some reason, the thought of Brad kissing Erina sent a violent surge of anger throughout his body. Every cell told him that Erina should not be kissing anyone- EVER. He tried his best to calm his heated pulse and asked, "Is that something you're worried about?"

Erina slowly brought her knees to her chest and dropped her chin onto them, curling into a ball. She admitted, "I don't know! I would be so nervous!"

Soma's heart twinged as he pictured Brad cornering her menacingly. He growled and said a little harsher than he intended, "Don't do it then."

Erina glared at him, "It's not that easy, Yukihira! I'd probably be too nervous to even move!"

"Why?"

She muttered embarrassedly, "It's just that, I've never…kissed anyone. And I don't know if I want a meaningless fling to be my first. I kind of thought it would be with someone special, but now it feels like it's too late."

Soma muttered, "Yeah, that's what I thought too. Didn't really turn out that way."

Erina's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Y-you've kissed someone?"

Soma scoffed quietly, "More like someone kissed me." He explained how his first kiss was stolen from him one day after class by a random girl who was the self-proclaimed president of his fan club. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, but now that Erina was talking about first kisses, he felt a bit cheated. Like he'd missed out on the opportunity for something and someone special.

She couldn't help but lean in, fascinated, and she asked as timidly as a mouse, "What was it like?"

"I can show you if you want," he winked cheekily.

She squeaked in astonishment, "What?! Are you crazy?"

The cocky boy grinned at her flustered face, "I'm just saying it would be mutually beneficial. We'll be friends forever, so it's not like it would be with some random guy, and then you won't have to worry if Brad makes a move on you." He looked down at his hands and said a little softer, "And I'd get a redo at my first kiss."

Erina stared at him in shock; Soma wanted to kiss her? Did he mean it, or was this a joke? Her heart was pounding so fast she felt like it would literally burst from her body. She chose to take the safe way out in order to squash the stampede of butterflies in her stomach. "I don't think that's necessary... I'll figure something out. Uh, thank you, though," she said awkwardly. She crossed her arms over her chest as if to signal the discussion was over, and she leaned back into her place by the window.

Soma, on the other hand, was extremely confused with himself. Why did he go so far with that? It was just a joke, right? Did he really want to kiss Erina?

* * *

The two scrolled through their phones absentmindedly, refreshing their social media pages until there was nothing new. Soma finally broke the awkward silence that had sprung up since his wild suggestion, "Sooo, are you excited to graduate? Only a few more months."

She answered indifferently, "I already feel as though I've graduated. Class is so easy, I could do that in my sleep. Professors ask me to teach their classes when they can't make their lessons. However, I will be glad not to be the Headmistress anymore. I didn't expect this responsibility for at least a few dozen years, and I'll be relieved once it's over."

Soma inquired, "Lotta work?"

Erina sighed, "Yes, it can be at times. And I basically have another job with the taste tests I do for chefs around the world. It can all get…overwhelming. I don't know what I would do without Hisako helping me and my grandfather's guidance."

Soma offered, "Hey, if you ever need help with stuff, just let me know!"

Erina grinned, "You can barely do your Elite Ten paperwork on time. I wouldn't dare distract you by piling more onto your plate."

Soma frowned, "Hey, I get my work done!"

She giggled, "Yes, but you leave it until the last minute every time."

He shot her a charming smile and countered, "You know I work best under pressure."

She studied his handsome face, recalling all the instances over the years where, against all odds, he'd risen to the occasion and succeeded. She smiled reluctantly, "Yes, I suppose so. I may take you up on your offer then, if you aren't too busy this semester."

Soma shrugged, "I don't think so, but we'll see. I've got like a billion Shokugekis lined up for when we get back. Everyone wants a shot at the first seat, apparently. But I'm not worried, this is just awesome practice for when we face off again."

Erina stuck her nose in the air superiorly and smirked, "All the practice in the world couldn't prepare you for me, Yukihira. You will never be on my level, even if you have proved yourself to be _somewhat_ worthy of my attention."

Soma cocked his head, teasing, "That's funny, because for someone who 'barely cares', you've come to every one of my matches."

Erina went scarlet. He'd noticed?! She objected much too loudly, "Only because I'm waiting for the day when one of your reckless bets gets you expelled!"

Soma laughed, unable to tear his eyes away from the adorable blush on her face. He chuckled, "Keep denying it, Nakiri. Doesn't bother me. I'll be right here waiting for the day you admit my food is delicious."

Erina huffed and muttered, "You think much too highly of yourself, Soma Yukihira. I try to make appearances at all my council members' Shokugekis. Don't flatter yourself by thinking I only go to yours."

Soma knew she didn't only go to his, but that didn't stop the swelling of pride he felt when he saw her without fail at every single Shokugeki he'd ever competed in. He'd watch her from the balcony above the arena, gazing upon him as a queen atop her throne. Seeing her there with her usual unimpressed look only pushed him further in every single one of his fights, and he treated each Shokugeki as if she were personally going to come down and taste his food. Not that she ever did. But one day, maybe if he tried hard enough…she'd admit how she felt.

* * *

After what seemed like ages, they heard engines revving outside, and off in the distance, two snowmobiles had just come into view. Night had fallen, and the pair were relieved to see their friends off on the horizon. Erina sighed, "Finally, they're here!"

Soma stood from his seat and groaned, stiff from the wooden bench. "Your knight in shining armor is here to rescue you," he teased playfully, and he began putting on his puffy jacket when he noticed Erina staring at him with a conflicted look. Finally, after a moment of strange silence, she took two determined steps forward so that she was directly in front of him.

"This is nothing more than a business transaction that was tacitly included in our verbal agreement," she stated firmly.

"Wha-" he began, but before he could get the word out, Erina roughly pulled at the collar of his shirt to bring his face down to hers, and she kissed him.

While he had been caught by surprise, that shock turned into pleasure as Erina's warm lips hesitantly melded with his own. Literal fireworks exploded in Soma's mind, and much too soon, she pulled away, looking quite satisfied with herself.

 _Whoa_. That was so much better than his first kiss.

She released him from her grip and said primly, "Thank you. Now I know what all the fuss is about."

Soma stifled a grin as he stared at the enigma before him, but he shook his head seriously, "That's not fair, you just stole my kiss again."

Erina smirked and flipped her hair over her shoulder uncaringly, "You're lucky you even got one, Yukihira!" Her cold words did little to faze Soma though, because he saw the teasing glint in her eyes he'd come to know so well.

"Alright so you got your first. Now you're not as nervous for the rest?"

"I suppose they won't be as significant."

"Good," he replied casually, before swiftly pulling her against him.

Erina let out a small gasp of surprise, and he took her chin in his hand, tilting her face up so he could look into her wide eyes. "Now it's my turn."

He leaned in and kissed her gently, relishing the feeling of her soft lips against his. The fireworks came back, and electricity coursed through his veins as he felt her timid lips move against his. He ingrained every detail into his mind, how their noses touched and their warm lips danced.

Once more, it ended all too soon. _Not bad for a redo,_ Soma thought contently. He reluctantly pulled away, still keeping her in his arms, but as soon as he saw her rosy lips and heavy-lidded eyes, he found that his hands couldn't let go of her. It wasn't enough.

Without thinking, he wrapped one arm around her waist tightly, while his other hand reached up behind her head. His fingers tangled in her soft hair, that hair that smelled so good- the reason they'd gotten separated in the first place.

Soma wondered crazily, _What's happening to me? And why can't I stop?_

He scanned her eyes quickly for any sign of hesitation, but she gave none, and his head moved on its own, dipping down to kiss her again, heart exploding as Erina lifted herself up onto her toes to get closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him back down to kiss her again and again, each time longer and harder than the last, already addicted to the new sensations.

 _Just one more…_ they both thought deliriously after every fervent kiss, always breaking their promise as their lips met again frantically.

Reason finally broke through when a small voice in the back of Erina's head warned her, _they'll be here soon!_

She managed to pant between kisses, chest heaving, "I-I think we should stop."

Soma nodded dreamily, an inch away from her mouth, "Definitely," but continued to kiss her senseless as if he were in a trance. The way his hands and lips were moving on their own made him feel as though he were drunk, like he couldn't stop even if he wanted to. Erina moaned softly against his mouth and allowed him to pull her closer than ever before. The feeling of Soma's strong hands running over her body were better than she could have ever imagined, and Erina shuddered in delight when his tongue ran over her bottom lip, which Soma truly believed was the most inexplicably delicious thing he had ever tasted.

She was totally helpless when it came to the redhead's touch, and she clung to him desperately, feeling a magnetic pull she'd never felt before. She wanted- no, _needed_ \- to be closer.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps sounded from the stairs. _Shit!_ _They're right outside!_

Erina used all her willpower to push Soma away, leaving both teenagers rosy-cheeked and panting with desire. She muttered brusquely, "Now we're even," and pushed past him, throwing her coat on as she crossed the room to put as much space between them as possible.

Soma didn't make any attempts to move though. He simply stood there in confusion at what had just transpired. He touched his lips as if to bring back the feeling of hers, and he numbly heard the door to the tea house open behind him. Hisako and Erina were squealing, and Brad was apologizing profusely, but Soma heard none of it.

In fact, he felt completely disoriented. Nothing made sense anymore. He liked kissing Erina, but they were just friends, so how could that be? Could friends kiss? He definitely wouldn't mind having that kind of relationship with her... And were all kisses that amazing? That was nothing like his first experience, so maybe all consensual kisses were? Did Erina feel the same way? Also, why was hearing Brad's voice like hearing nails on a chalkboard?

There were definitely a lot of uncertainties in Soma's mind at this point, and he didn't know what he was going to do about the whirlpool of tumultuous emotions stirring inside of him.

There was only one thing he knew for sure however. Erina Nakiri was delicious, and he wanted another taste.


	5. Chapter 5

"They're back!" Ryoko announced happily, relieved at the sight of a very tired Soma and Erina trudging behind Brad and Hisako. The rest of their friends crowded around them, cheering at their safe return.

Shoji gave Soma a one-armed hug and clapped him on the back, stating, "Dude, we definitely thought you were going to die out there."

Soma shot him a confused look and chuckled, "What, you thought a mountain lion was gonna get us?"

Daigo fake-coughed loudly, "Not the predator we were thinking of," stealing a glance at the frigid princess, who was thankfully distracted by Megumi to hear his comment.

Soma followed his line of sight and laughed, "Yeah, that was pretty touch and go. At some points I probably would've been better off with the animals. But it wasn't all bad…" His voice softened as he watched Erina, who was now being fussed over by her friends. Her cheeks held their classic pink tinge, probably a combination of embarrassment at all the attention and the warmth from inside. He couldn't help but notice how her golden hair glowed entrancingly next to the fireplace, as if teasing him with its glossiness, and Soma swore he felt a zap of electricity strike his heart when she made eye contact with him through the throng of friends.

He motioned his head toward the side and mouthed, "Can we talk?" but she shook her head, quick to rejoin the conversation between the girls. He had to admit, he was disappointed, because while he hoped she was just tired, he felt as though something were wrong. On the hour-long trip back, she had chosen to ride with Brad instead of him, and now she could barely look him in the eyes. Did she regret the kiss? Had he read the signs all wrong?

After a few more minutes of mindless chatter, Erina announced rather suddenly, "Thank you all for your well wishes, but I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight. I'm rather tired after this whole ordeal," she waved her hand lightly and smiled politely at the gang. She gave the group a once-over before letting her eyes settle on Soma's golden ones, and she said goodnight softly, excusing herself from the group with Hisako at her side.

Soma couldn't let it end this way, not if she was mad at him for kissing her! He blurted out, "Hey, wait a sec!"

Erina's muscles visibly tensed, and she turned around wordlessly. Suddenly, Soma became acutely aware of the dozens of eyes upon him. He mumbled vaguely, "Uh, I'm sorry, you know, about what happened."

Her expression was completely unreadable as she stared back like she had no idea what he was referring to. Finally, after a moment of tense silence, she said aloofly, "It wasn't your fault, Yukihira. We just got a little lost."

After she left, Soma felt an acute pang of longing in his chest that he hadn't realized had been there since they'd left the tea house. He stayed silent as his friends happily chattered away, totally zoning out as he thought hungrily about Erina's hands running through his hair and the way her lips were as sweet as candy. God, he wanted another kiss.

Akira broke him out of his daydream, asking Soma, "We were going to get a quick workout in, but I'd understand if you're too tired to join."

Soma shook his head, "Nah, I've actually got way too much energy right now. Let's do it!"

A workout was just what he needed. Something physical to get his mind off less _physical_ things.

* * *

"Yukihira!" Ryo growled to his spotter from beneath the bar, breaking Soma out of his millionth daydream.

Soma hastily lifted the heavy bar from his chest, helping him set it back down safely. "Shit, sorry! Guess I'm just a little outta sorts right now."

"What's going on with you?" Ryo grunted as he sat up from the bench press. Not that he really cared, but he wasn't about to get crushed to death because of this moron.

The redhead ran a hand through his long hair and mumbled reservedly, "Nothing…"

Takumi put his weights down and faced his friend, "It's not nothing. You've been weird since you got back. Did something happen out there?"

Soma immediately flushed with embarrassment and shrugged it off, "Nah, I just have a lot on my mind."

Akira called him out straight-faced between bicep curls, "Liar."

Soma shot back exasperatedly, "So what, you can smell lies now?!"

Akira smirked, "No, you're just terrible at it."

Takumi encouraged him, "You'll feel better if you talk about it."

Soma wavered, "Ehh…"

Ryo barked, "Just tell us so you can stop bellyaching and get on with your life!"

"Fuck, alright guys, chill! I, uh- I just can't stop thinking about Nakiri," Soma finally admitted, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. He glanced up to take in their reactions, but the three boys just stared back blankly.

Ryo turned to Akira and Takumi, "Pay up."

The two boys grumbled with promises to pay, when Soma interrupted, "Hold up, what were you guys betting on?"

Akira said in a disinterested tone, "Whether you'd finally realize your feelings towards her."

Ryo smirked devilishly, "Every guy gets jealous when he sees his girl falling for another guy. Even Yukihira's not that dense."

Soma frowned, "Wait, what? I don't even know if I like her. All I know is I feel all weird around her now and I didn't used to before."

Akira closed his green eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose disbelievingly. He said in a clipped tone, "You are such a dumbass. I don't get how you don't see it."

Soma continued through his workout, powering through reps as he admitted, "I mean, I was interested in her when we met, I'll give you that, but she made it pretty clear she wasn't interested, so I dropped it."

Ryo laughed, "Obviously not."

Soma said, slightly annoyed, "How would you know?!"

Ryo shrugged and continued lifting, panting slightly, "It's obvious."

Takumi smiled knowingly at his less-than-perceptive friend. "Listen, it's pretty simple. Aren't you always teasing her?"

Soma murmured, "Well yeah but that's just 'cause she's really fun to mess with." _Not to mention how cute she looks when she gets all fired up._

Akira followed up, "Is she the person who you cook in mind with?"

"Yeah, but only because she's the one person who hasn't acknowledged me as a chef!" _She motivates me more than anyone else to be the best!_

Ryo dropped his weights with a heavy clank and confirmed, "You think she's hot right?"

Soma gulped. He said nothing but his red face betrayed him. _Hell yes._

The redhead muttered, "But that doesn't mean I like her, right? I can't have feelings for Nakiri!"

Takumi thought of a certain blue-haired girl and asked hesitantly, "Okay, Yukihira. Answer this: why haven't you dated anyone else? Surely there had to be someone you were interested in?"

Soma set his weights down after finishing his set and took a long swig of water, shrugging, "There just wasn't anyone who caught my eye, ya know? Tōtsuki is full of awesome girls but I just couldn't see myself with any of 'em. Plus I just wanted to keep focusing on my cooking!"

Takumi replied, "Are you sure you weren't just comparing them to her? Maybe you knew deep down they weren't the one for you so you didn't bother."

Soma wiped his sweaty face with a towel and denied it, "No way, I'm telling you, I was just really focused on cooking. Like Nakiri! She never dated either!"

And while he refused to say it out loud, the more he thought about it, the more he realized he had been subconsciously holding onto a shred of hope. As long as she wasn't dating anyone else, he still had a chance. He could pretend like it wasn't him, or the fact that she found him subpar at best; she just wasn't ready to date. But now? She was ready, and it was with someone other than him, and the thought made his heart sink.

Akira smirked, "You just got lucky she was too busy with all her responsibilities to look twice at the line of guys waiting for her at school."

Soma growled unintentionally, "What guys?"

Takumi interrupted hastily, "Forget about that and focus, Yukihira. What if, years from now, she ended up dating someone. Or worse, she got married? How would you feel?"

Soma laid back on the bench press exhaustedly and tried to picture it.

 _He was working from a remote location, maybe Germany or Argentina, and he never stayed in one place for too long, just like his father. He didn't have a real home, but the lifestyle was satisfying enough to fuel his drive and hunger for adventure and excitement. He casually dated here and there when he had time, but even in his fantasy, he couldn't picture his future wife. Perhaps he was just meant to be single for the time being. His life was simple, fun, and uncomplicated._

 _He imagined waking up one morning and scrolling through his messages to find an influx of texts from the Tōtsuki group chat congratulating Erina on her engagement. His heart stopped. He knew she'd been dating some CEO, but he hadn't realized they were that serious. Everywhere he turned, her and her fiancé's happy faces were plastered in the media. His chest was starting to feel tight and his breathing became labored as he thought of his beautiful friend suddenly becoming unavailable. No more flirting at reunions until 2 am, no more escorting each other (as friends, of course) to their classmates' grand openings. Why had he waited so long to make a move? Because he'd been afraid of being rejected?_

 _He'd reluctantly go to her wedding and watch as she floated down the aisle in her glamorous white ballgown. She and her husband would exchange tearful vows. The officiant would ask with finality if anyone had any objections. His breath hitched. Should he? He saw her glance his way, with a trace of something in her eyes… hope? No, it couldn't be. He held his tongue, and with the final "I do", the ceremony was complete. The small golden ring trapping her finger like a death sentence._

 _He would see her less and less frequently, always escorted by her husband, who insisted on leaving parties early as they had a flight to catch the next morning. They would go from being close friends to casual acquaintances over the years, missing birthdays, restaurant openings, Michelin stars. Could he really survive off only those little moments in time?_

 **No**.

Even though it was just in his imagination, the air had violently escaped from his lungs, and Soma felt his heart constrict painfully at the thought of her forever being out of his reach. When it came down to it, he couldn't see himself ever moving on from the fiery blonde who had dominated his mind, heart and soul since the day he met her.

Soma finally sat up and rubbed his face with his hands in frustration, grumbling in distress, "Shit... But I can't like her."

Ryo growled impatiently at his denials, "Why the hell not?!"

Soma suddenly exploded into a fit of hysterics, laughing crazily, "Because I'd have to be a complete fucking idiot to be in love with a girl who _literally_ hates me!"

Silence. None of the three boys knew what to say.

Takumi shrugged simply, "I've never known you to be someone who gives up, Yukihira."

He snorted in response, "That's just with cooking. I only pester her with my food because I can learn new techniques, tweak recipes, or use better ingredients as a chef. But I won't change who I am, and I definitely can't force her to like me."

The Italian shook his head, "I don't think you'd be forcing her. You and Nakiri have both grown a lot since we were first years. You don't know if her feelings towards you may have changed in that time."

Akira nodded, "She's more accepting of you now, whether she wants to admit it or not. You should take a chance. Regardless of the outcome, I think you'll feel more at peace with yourself once you do. We only have a few months left until graduation; might as well do it soon before you're in different countries."

Soma shook his head weakly, "You guys don't get it. When she looks at Brad, she looks like she's so happy and into him. When she looks at me, I can literally feel the contempt she has for me. Yeah, it's less than when we first met, but only because I literally put all the effort into our friendship. I was the one who was always nice to her; I was the one who would go to her office and want to hang out. She barely tolerates me, while I'm… in love with her."

Ryo said, "Listen, I don't know if all that's true, but Alice has a theory-"

Akira raised a hand and interrupted, "Alice has a lot of theories."

Ryo barely smirked, "True, but this one seems legit. Nakiri likes Yukihira. Even if she disguises it as hate."

Soma chuckled lightly, "That's a pretty dangerous assumption to make."

The raven-haired boy shrugged, "Yeah, but there's gotta be a reason she thinks it. She knows Nakiri better than anyone, maybe even Arato."

Takumi suggested, "I can see that as a real possibility. She's inexperienced when it comes to relationships, so she doesn't know how to handle her feelings."

Soma thought back to their kiss and the way she'd responded quite enthusiastically. Maybe Alice was right? But then he thought of how she'd avoided his gaze immediately after and chosen Brad over him. God, why was this so confusing? Were all girls like this?! Somehow he felt this was a trait specific to the blonde princess.

He laughed pitifully, "So I'm just supposed to take a chance with this girl who yells at me for breathing the wrong way."

The three boys shrugged, mumbling encouragements as best as they could but eventually going back to their workouts, leaving Soma to his own thoughts.

To confess or not to confess...

* * *

Hisako and Erina entered their suite, and Hisako immediately began running a bath for Erina.

Erina said guiltily, "You don't have to do these things for me, I can do them myself!"

But Hisako shook her head, "I'm not doing this as your secretary, I'm doing this as your friend. I can only imagine how stressful today was being lost in the woods and alone with Yukihira! That boy really knows how to press your buttons."

Erina blushed; he _definitely_ knew how to press her buttons now more than ever. She tried to shake her head of the impure thoughts, and once she was alone and soaking in the tub, she finally had a moment to process the events of today. She had kissed Soma. And she'd liked it. A lot.

She shamefully admitted to herself that she wanted more. She wanted to feel her body pressed against his. She wanted to drive him crazy to the point where he couldn't control himself. Her head spun as she remembered victoriously how he couldn't stop kissing her even when he knew their friends were right outside.

 _No! Get a hold of yourself!_

She tried to conjure up the most annoying Soma ever to squash her feelings, one who was in the kitchen begging her relentlessly to try his latest creation. _Perfect_ , she thought satisfactorily, _just as irritating and smug as I remember!_ But wait, why did his lips look so enticing? Even his stupid cackle was starting to sound attractive! And the way his casual smile and confident attitude sent flutters throughout her stomach was not a good sign. She pulled her knees in tightly out of nervousness, letting the warm soapy water slosh around her.

Why was this happening?! Was Alice right? Did she, Erina Nakiri, actually love the bane of her existence? Was all the irritation and anxiousness she felt when she saw the carefree redhead just suppressed excitement?

She tried pulling up another memory of him, this time entering her office unannounced and uninvited. _So annoying!_ But he looked so happy to see her, and he'd even brought food because he knew she'd be too distracted to eat dinner. The butterflies had spread from her stomach and invaded the rest of her body. Shit.

She needed an action plan, and she needed one fast.

* * *

When she came back into the room, she saw Hisako typing away on her laptop sporting the glasses she wore whenever she was working. Erina approached her and sat on the bed, asking timidly, "Is Alice here?"

Hisako shook her head, focused on her work. "No, I'm not sure where she is. I suppose off with Kurokiba somewhere."

Erina tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear before inquiring, "Are you busy?"

Hisako never took her eyes off the screen, "I'm just working on the budget for this semester. We have so many events coming up and multiple new sponsors coming in, so I'm feeling optimistic about our plans!"

She smiled up at Erina until she noticed a look of unease gracing her friend's face. She cocked her head, "Is something wrong?"

 _Well, here it goes._ Erina took a deep breath and began ranting nervously, "I've realized something. You know how when you have a grease fire in the kitchen, you're supposed to cover it with the lid and let it sit? Because if you splash water on it, it only makes it worse."

Hisako uttered a confused, "Uhh…"

Erina continued frantically, "Which is fairly absurd as most people would think water is the logical choice! Water puts out fire. Everyone knows that! Well, I poured water on it. I was just so desperate to make it stop that I didn't realize I was just adding fuel to the fire. I should've just let it sit!" She seemed to be talking more to herself at this point, and Hisako couldn't help but stare in confusion at her friend.

The pink haired girl glanced around alarmedly, "Erina, did you start a fire somewhere?! What are you talking about?!"

Erina shook her head frustratedly, "No! It's a metaphor! I'm trying to say that I tried to fight it this whole time, and it made things worse. I should have just accepted my feelings! They would have gone away over time!"

Hisako sighed with relief, but narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "What are you talking about? No more metaphors!"

Erina shifted her eyes downwards and twisted the rings on her fingers. She breathed in deeply and forced it out in one breath, "IkissedYukihira!"

Hisako's eyes flew open and she slammed her laptop shut now that Erina held her rapt attention.

Erina sputtered, "Hisako, the budget!" motioning towards the now-forgotten laptop.

The pink-haired girl nearly screamed, "It's fine, I can finish that later! Oh my god, what do you mean you kissed him?!" She leaned forward to take in every detail and her eyes were wide with curiosity.

Erina relayed the afternoon's events to her friend. Hisako's hands flew to her open mouth in surprise at the shocking turn of events, and she finally laughed, "Well if I had known that was happening, I would have waited outside for a few more minutes."

Erina shot her a look that said _don't go there,_ but admitted with a bright pink blush and her hands covering her face, "It's probably good you came when you did. I don't know how long you would've been waiting."

Hisako giggled at the scandalous insinuation and said, "So, now what?"

Erina replied in shaky breaths, "Well, this is the first step. Admitting my feelings, right? As painful as it is, I can now admit to myself that I _l-love_ Soma Yukihira. I think I have since we were first years. He wasn't intimidated by me or my status so he always treated me like a normal person, which was infuriating, but kind of nice... I don't know when I crossed the line between hate and love," she giggled softly at the craziness of the situation.

Hisako chimed in, "You know, love and hate are caused by many of the same nervous circuits in the brain. I'm not surprised you didn't notice when you fell in love with him as they often cause the same reactions: sweaty palms, nervousness, increased heart rate," she trailed off.

Erina sighed as she stared at her friend. Hisako wasn't going to like this next part. Erina said in a steely voice, "Well, now comes part two of my revelation. Since this isn't just some school girl crush, it means I'll have to work twice as hard to get over him."

 _Wait, what?_ Hisako's jaw dropped. She sputtered out in confusion, "What are you talking about, Erina? Why would you need to get over him?"

Erina crossed her arms defensively, "Because I can't love him!"

Hisako stared blankly, "Why not?"

Erina exclaimed, "Because! For one thing, he's a womanizer!"

"Didn't you say you were only his second kiss?!"

She rolled her purple eyes, "That's beside the point! There are other ways, like how he's always surrounded by girls! He manages to charm every girl he meets even though he tries to play it off like he's a bumbling idiot!"

Hisako giggled, "I don't think that's an act." Even she had become friends with Soma during the Stagliare, and she knew the redhead well enough to know the only cunning side of him was used for cooking.

Erina still argued, "Regardless, all the girls at the Polar Star Dorm are his best friends. Ikumi's in love with him! Even Hojo-san was able to see past her disdain for men for him!"

Hisako smirked, "So you're just mad that he's a nice guy. Aren't you forgetting about all the guy friends he has too? Yukihira is like a puppy. He befriends everybody!"

Erina pouted, "Fine, but how come in all the years we've known him, he's never had a girlfriend? He obviously has a fear of commitment!"

Hisako responded chidingly, "You're just speculating, Erina. You have no idea if that's true or not!"

The heiress drove her point home wearily, "That's true, I have no idea, because for the past 3 years I've known him, we've never once talked about anything romantic! If he was interested, the topic would have come up." She shrugged helplessly and murmured embarrassedly, "He even apologized for kissing me when we were leaving the lobby. He probably regrets it and feels bad for making things weird between us."

Hisako's pink eyes flashed with sympathy as she saw the hurt on her best friend's face. How she wished she could make her feel better. "I find that very hard to believe! If the kiss happened like you said it did, there's no way he regrets that."

Erina finally said jadedly, "Hisako, I don't want to argue about this. I just don't feel like he wants to be with me. Yukihira has had years to tell me how he felt, and nothing ever happened. If that isn't enough evidence, he is literally helping me get with another guy right now. I think it's pretty clear how he feels."

Hisako fell silent at this. For once, she couldn't come up with an excuse, and she felt awful for pushing the obviously touchy subject. All she wanted was for Erina to be happy, and she truly thought Yukihira was good for her. But she was Erina's friend first and foremost, and she would support her until the end. She sighed and mumbled understandingly, "So, you're getting over him."

Erina nodded and reiterated, "Yes. I'm getting over him. Why stir the pot now? We're about to graduate and I don't want this looming over my head long after he's left."

She wasn't about to admit her feelings only to have him shatter her heart and fly off to another continent, leaving her to pick up the broken pieces. Oh no, Erina Nakiri had far too much pride to let that happen. She didn't need him. She didn't need anyone.

A soft knock came at the door. Erina and Hisako peered at each other in confusion. Alice would have a key to let herself in.

Who would be knocking at this late hour?


	6. Chapter 6

Soma raced down the hotel halls the next morning, cursing himself for oversleeping. He'd slept in until nearly 11:30 and the lunch shift started in just a few minutes! He was so distracted checking the time on his phone that as he rounded the corner, he nearly collided with Erina and Alice.

Finding himself face to face with the blonde, he nearly choked in surprise. He hadn't expected to run into her so soon after yesterday, nor had he anticipated the violent pounding in his chest upon seeing her again.

As he watched her eyes narrow angrily, her arms cross over her chest, and her beautiful lips move, he felt completely captivated by her. Her scathing words fell on deaf ears as Soma stood paralyzed, totally enamored by the princess before him. Wave over wave of warm affection crashed over him, pulling him in deeper to the point of no return.

 _So, this is love, huh?_

Now that he had finally understood his feelings, he couldn't deny that they had been there all along. How had he been so stupid to think he'd ever get over her?

She was **the one**! He just knew it!

"And another thing, you dolt, how absolutely reckless of you to just run in the halls with complete disregard for anyone else's safety! If you want to act like an imbecile on your own time, that's fine, but don't forget, you're representing my school!" Erina's shriek finally made it to his ears and he tuned into what she was saying.

Soma rolled his eyes playfully and leaned against the wall. He shot her the charming smile that always seemed to make his toughest female professors go easy on him and said, "C'mon, Nakiri, lighten up, will ya? I didn't want to be late for my shift. Wouldn't want to 'tarnish Tōtsuki's name' and whatnot. Forgive me?"

Erina's nerves were evident as she smoothed her hair and grumbled, "Whatever. Just try not to be late next time. I don't want you to be the reason our students are never invited back."

Soma smiled at the sight of her flustered state and felt that being a few minutes late to work was worth it if he got to spend a little extra time with her. Even when she was yelling at him, there was nowhere he'd rather be than on the receiving end of her tirade.

Alice began tugging childishly on Erina's sweater to continue forward and warned, "You're not the only one who's late, Yukihira! Erina has a big date right now that she's going to be late for if we don't leave RIGHT NOW!"

 _"…Date?_ "

Soma felt the wind knocked out of him as if he'd been punched in the gut. He looked at the blonde's face for confirmation, but she cast a downward glance at the floor, avoiding his gaze.

Alice nodded, "Yeah! She took your advice and asked Brad out!"

He vaguely remembered mentioning something like that to Erina yesterday, but that was a lifetime ago! That was before their mind-altering kiss! That was before he had known that he was completely and eternally in love with Erina Nakiri!

Managing a smile that probably looked more like a grimace, he admitted, "Oh… Wow, I can't believe you did that."

Erina's eyes flicked up to meet his and she exclaimed defensively, "You told me to!"

Soma shrugged in what he hoped was a casual manner, "I didn't think you'd actually do it."

Alice giggled, "Apparently you're quite the teacher if you've somehow gotten through to her! Do you know what she said to him?"

He cocked an eyebrow inquisitively but said nothing, because more than anything in the world, no- he did not want to hear how the love of his life asked out another guy.

"He came by the room to say how sorry he was for everything that happened yesterday, and she was like, 'You can make it up to me by taking me out to lunch'. Can you believe her?!" Alice squealed giddily, looking back at her cousin's face with pride. She had her hands folded over her heart, like a mother watching her child take their first steps.

Soma felt the knife in his heart being twisted in further. It sounded like something he would've said to her. He teased Alice feebly, "And you're chaperoning or something?"

Alice giggled, "Of course not, silly. I'm just making sure she goes! She was all gung-ho about it last night but come this morning I had to physically drag her out of the room." She faced Erina and instructed, "Okay, I'm going to go and make sure he doesn't think you stood him up! Finish up quickly!" She hurried towards the lobby, leaving the two alone in the hall.

For once, Soma didn't know what to say. For once, he didn't want to be around the princess. He ran a hand tensely through his hair and said, "Actually I should probably go, I'm already late as it is. Uh, good luck on your date."

Erina murmured her thanks and passed him quickly, leaving Soma broken-hearted and empty.

"Hey, Nakiri," he called out to her against his better judgment.

"Yes?"

"Listen, if he hurts you…"

Erina blanched. Even from across the hall, she saw earnestness in his amber eyes and that he was struggling to find the right words. She cut him off, stating resolutely, "I appreciate the concern, but there is no chance of that."

He gave her a parting nod and small smile, thinking she must have been pretty confident in Brad's feelings for her to be so sure he wouldn't break her heart.

What he didn't realize was that no other man could _ever_ do that, because it wasn't his to break.

* * *

"Yukihira, slow down! The recipe calls for chopped celery, not minced!"

Soma had been taking out his frustrations on his ingredients and now he'd ended up with piles of vegetables so thinly cut they could be mistaken for powders.

Ryoko finished up plating her dish, wiped her hands, and came over to Soma. She asked softly in a comforting voice, "Is there anything you'd like to talk about? You seem quite distressed."

It wasn't like her dormmate to be so unfocused during cooking, and as the unofficial big sister of her friends, Ryoko took it upon herself to check in to make sure everyone was comfortable.

Soma dumped the pile of shredded mirepoix into the pot, letting the savory scent waft up as the vegetables sizzled. He grumbled, "This vacation just isn't turning out like I thought it would."

Ryoko cocked her head, "How so?"

Soma continued stirring, wondering how much to reveal. He reluctantly half-fibbed, "I don't know, I just thought we'd be hanging out more on this trip, like as a group. We came here to hang out with each other, but we've barely gotten to unless we're working the same shift, ya know?"

Isami said from the station over, "Well, we all hung out yesterday before you and Nakiri got separated."

Soma clenched the wooden spoon harder and argued, "Yeah, but we were driving the whole time!"

Ryoko nodded, "I understand how you feel. Like you said, we're really only seeing each other when we're on the same shift, and we rarely see our friends who aren't working, like Erina and Alice. I miss them!"

Soma exclaimed a little too animatedly, "Exactly! This would've been the perfect time to catch up and stuff, especially with Nakiri since she's always swamped with her Headmistress shit."

Isami shot him a knowing smile and Soma felt his cheeks redden. _Damn it, Takumi._

Soma covered it up, "We're _all_ gonna be busy with school in the next couple of months, and then we'll be graduating! I just want things to go back to how they used to be."

Ryoko offered consolingly, "I know, I've thought about this often too. It's going to be weird being away from you guys. After all, you've all become like my second family! But this is a natural part of growing up, and it happens to everyone."

Soma nodded in acceptance, but replied, "Yeah I know. Still sucks though."

She giggled, "You know we won't be able to stay away from each other for long! I'm certain our group will remain friends forever! We'll have reunions, and go on group vacations, and restaurant openings!"

Isami murmured teasingly, "And weddings!"

Soma chuckled, "At least I know you guys will keep in touch."

Isami smiled, "She will too. I'm sure of it."

Ryoko asked confusedly, "Who?"

Soma kept his head down, but the Italian boy replied indifferently, "Nakiri."

Ryoko's eyes widened as understanding washed over her. "Of course she will! Erina would never forget about us."

Soma smiled sardonically, "I don't think she'd do it on purpose, but she'd probably be way too busy running the culinary world to remember to show up to happy hour."

Ryoko seemed to be picking her words carefully, and she said slowly, "Erina might not show up to everything, but I think she would come to _your_ events."

Soma felt his heartbeat quicken as if he'd been told the juiciest secret he'd ever heard. He tried to reply as apathetically as possible, "Why do you say that?"

The purple-haired girl shrugged and smiled secretly, "Just a hunch."

* * *

Erina rushed to the kitchen, ignoring the idea that she, a patron, should not be in the hotel's kitchen. That place would be lucky to have her divine touch on their utensils! Her stomach growled impatiently as she smelled something mouthwatering coming from behind the double doors. She timidly pushed the doors open to find Soma slaving over a pot which must have been the origin of the intoxicating smell.

"Yukihira, what are you doing here? I thought the lunch shift would have been over by now," Erina asked at the unexpected sight of her lone classmate cooking.

He stared at her for a second too long before turning back to the stove, shrugging, "It is over. I just wanted to keep cooking. Didn't really feel like snowboarding today."

Erina watched his focus shift back towards his dish and she huffed under her breath. She didn't really feel like sharing the kitchen today, especially with _him_ , but she had no other choice. She was starving. She tied up her hair and began washing her hands, when Soma asked in surprise, "What are you doing?"

She looked at him in disgust, "Washing my hands, you barbarian. Don't you-"

Soma chuckled, "No, I meant why are you here cooking? Didn't you eat already?"

Erina murmured in a dissatisfied voice, "The lunch was not up to my standards. I could barely stomach the food."

While he felt a smug sense of pleasure at the fact that her date hadn't gone perfectly, he couldn't help but laugh, "Damn, you're making me feel kinda bad for the guy. Poor Brad didn't know he was taking the God Tongue out for lunch."

She sniffed, "I wasn't mean about it. I ate as much as I could! I even refrained from going back to the kitchen and giving the chef a piece of my mind."

Soma smirked and deadpanned, "How thoughtful of you." Upon hearing the girl's giggles, he continued, "Honestly though, they probably would've cherished your critiques seeing that they got them for free."

Erina mused loftily, "That's true. I really do need to be more selective about who I give advice to. Lord knows how many thousands worth I've given you."

Soma stole a glance at his friend and smiled. She was right, of course. Her criticisms were always directly or indirectly guiding him towards being a better chef. He thought of how he'd even used her ability during the RdC, taste-testing his food to perfection in the middle of the battle of their lives. Whether she knew it or not, she was the reason he'd kept growing as a chef.

He chuckled, a tinge of pink on his cheeks, revealing his lesser known serious side, "Yeah, I know. You're seriously the best, Nakiri. I don't know what I'd do without you."

The red blush hit her cheeks like a tidal wave, and she waved him off contemptuously, not wanting to read into something she didn't believe was there.

* * *

Eventually, they fell into comfortable silence as they worked side by side in the small kitchen. Normally she preferred cooking alone, as she found others to be too loud or clumsy. They didn't know how to arrange their tools in time-efficient ways and the sight of it just irked her. But with Soma, she didn't really mind. He was consciously aware of the confined space and used it capably, letting her pass without her needing to ask, or handing her the right knife as if he'd read her mind. They weren't even preparing the same dish, yet he instinctively knew what she wanted next. His skill from working in the diner for 12 years was showing, and she'd almost forgotten how well they worked together (in the kitchen only, of course!).

As they cooked side by side, he begged himself not to ask a certain question.

 _You don't want to know the answer, so don't ask! Don't ask! **Don't ask!**_

Despite himself though, he needed to hear it from her. Ugh, since when was he such a masochist?

He cleared his throat, approaching the topic gingerly, "Sooo, how'd the date go? Apart from the actual lunch, that is."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but he wasn't looking at her. He was focused intently on the pot in front of him, no sign of emotion on his carefully guarded face.

Erina said circumspectly, "It went about as expected. He's a very nice guy and it was an enjoyable afternoon."

Soma teased lightly, "Did you feel 'sparks' like in your cheesy romance mangas?"

Erina glared at him but admitted, "Not really, but it was a nice first date. That was the whole point of my doing this. I just wanted some experience and I got it."

Soma pressed further, his heart on the line, "So, that's it? Are you gonna go out with him again?"

Erina blushed and shrugged, "I don't know. If he wanted to, I wouldn't mind. As long as I get to pick the restaurant, of course."

Soma felt his spirit sink a little at her words, until she followed up with, "It would be good practice if we went out again."

He chuckled, "Are you really just doing all this to prepare for dating other people you actually like in the future? Seems a little harsh."

She frowned, "It may have started out that way, but I never said I didn't like him. Just that there weren't 'sparks', as you so eloquently put it."

"Then why even waste your time if you don't feel that?"

"I'm not wasting my time, I'm _practicing_!"

Erina's stomach growled loudly, interrupting their dispute, and he raised his eyebrows knowingly. He ladled a spoonful of the steaming red soup into a bowl and teased, "Fine, quit begging! I'll let you try some."

She did want to try it; whatever that soup was, it was causing her mouth to water and her stomach to cramp in hunger! But instead, in typical Erina fashion, she lied haughtily, "I'd rather drink dishwater than your soup!"

Soma took a sip of the fragrant broth and he closed his eyes in satisfaction, allowing Erina to stare openly at the place where the spoon had touched his lips. She shook herself back to reality, frowning at herself for being jealous of a freaking spoon.

She went back to work on her own dish, lamb chops with a balsamic reduction, trying to ignore his moans of exaggerated pleasure. They were making her feel flustered like she had the night before during their kiss, and she finally exclaimed, "Would you stop that?! You're making this a hostile work environment!"

Soma's eyes popped open, spoon still in his mouth, and he laughed heartily at the girl's flushed face. He said in a sing-song voice, "It's reallyyy good! Just try it. I'll even try yours!"

She burst out laughing, "How is that a fair trade? You'd be lucky to try mine!"

The redhead chuckled, "Yeah, I guess that's true. You just have that look in your eyes that makes me think you want to taste it."

She gasped, "I do not!"

He replied seriously, "You do. You think I don't recognize your looks after years of knowing you? This one's this mix of, like, stubbornness and curiosity. You always eye it like it's going to bite you. That's when I know you want to try it."

He recalled that look thousands of times, but once in particular stood out to him- last night. She'd worn that same expression just before she'd kissed him, like she'd wanted to, but she couldn't admit it… just like she did with his food.

The gears began turning in his head, and he thought back to what Ryo had said.

Could it be true? Did she hide her feelings for him behind a mask of disdain just like she did with his cooking? More importantly, did he still have a chance?!

But what girl in their right mind would openly and plainly berate someone she harbored secret feelings for?!

 _Fuck it,_ he thought recklessly. _Might as well go all out._ It wasn't like her opinion of him could get any lower!

Soma flirted with her casually, "Don't worry, Nakiri. It's a cute look on you."

Erina felt her heart beat in double-time and the blood rushed to her face as she scowled at the impudent boy. Was he mocking her?

She grabbed the bowl from his hands just to shut him up and took a sip of the steaming broth.

 _The steady rhythm of the drums woke her. She was in the savannah, surrounded by a herd of peaceful gazelles. The beautiful animals were drinking from a red lake and meandered around her unbothered, as if she were one of them._

 _The hot African sun was draining. She could even see a disorienting haze of heat in the distance, and Erina felt herself sink back under the long grasslands which unfortunately provided only a hint of shade. The hot and sour soup tingled throughout her extremities, and she found her heart racing as the spicy liquid kicked her nervous system into overdrive. She was on alert, but she didn't know why._

 _Suddenly, one of the gazelles turned its head and its ears perked up in alarm._

 _It ran._

 _Flavors of chicken, lemongrass, lime and chili exploded in her mouth as she began running too. What were they running from?!_

 _She dared to look behind her, and her eyes widened in horror as she saw a herd of ferocious lions racing after them! She tried her best to keep up with the gazelles and their powerful leaps, but she found herself falling behind!_

 _Snap! Her foot caught on something as she was running and she stumbled forward, falling onto the hard ground. She screamed and closed her eyes in fear as she felt the earth quaking beneath her; the lions were almost there. Her heart pounded in trepidation. She could feel something approach her, but she didn't dare open her eyes._

 _Something had crawled above her, blocking the sun's light. Erina's eyelids squinted open in terror, a blurred vision of a wild mane and golden eyes above her._

 _Wait, that isn't a lion..._

 _Soma smirked above her. His messy red hair looked more feral than usual, and his eyes held a look of savageness that made her body break out into a cold sweat. She struggled beneath him, but he clamped her wrists down to the floor easily. The drumbeats grew louder and faster, and her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths as she watched him lean in towards her. She closed her eyes in anticipation and she felt his lips just barely graze hers-_

The real Soma suddenly came into view before her, and Erina found herself back in the hotel kitchen with an empty bowl of soup in her hands.

Soma asked, "What did you mean by that?"

Erina blinked. "Huh?"

With a worried look on his face, he said, "You kept saying 'hot' over and over again. Did you mean like temperature or spiciness or what?"

Erina felt her cheeks heat up as she recalled her vivid daydream. _Hot_ was definitely how she would describe him. She lied brazenly, "Both! I practically scalded my tongue and it was much too spicy! Were you trying to kill me?!"

She pushed past him to grab a desperately-needed glass of water, chugging it on site.

Soma griped, "You downed the whole bowl though!"

"I have to taste the whole dish in order to accurately ascertain its weaknesses!"

"Which were?" He pressed frustratedly.

"TOO HOT AND SPICY!" She yelled back, too rattled to think of anything better.

Soma laughed, "That's the point of the soup! Goddamn woman, you're so hard to please." He leaned against the countertop and smiled, mirth glimmering in his golden eyes.

Erina hid the self-satisfied smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth and she replied dryly, "Well if it were easy, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun, now would it?"

Soma shot her an amused look but only sighed, "I'm just glad you finally have something in your stomach."

Erina felt the stupid butterflies in her stomach acting up every time he tried to take care of her like this. It was just like earlier this morning when he almost threatened her date; was he being protective like a brother or jealous like a boyfriend?

She looked down at her own delectable plate, but she was too full from the soup to enjoy it. She pushed the plate towards Soma, "Do you want this?"

Soma eagerly accepted, as he rarely got a chance to eat Erina's cooking, and he hated to admit there was still a gap between their abilities. Any time he got to eat her food was like a lesson in itself, and he used her as a guide for his future recipes.

"This is so good, Nakiri!" Soma said between mouthfuls as he savored the delicious lamb chops.

Erina tossed her long hair over her shoulder as if to signal "It was nothing!", but secretly, there was nobody she loved impressing more than him.

* * *

They'd stayed so late, the dinner shift was about to start, and they cleaned up the kitchen in a hurry. Soma passed her a dirty dish, admitting, "I'm kinda sad you don't need my help anymore. I've missed hanging out with you."

Erina blushed and argued, "We hang out."

Soma shrugged, "Not as much as we used to. It's always for Elite Ten stuff or in a group. We haven't hung out alone like this in ages."

 _As friends. He means as friends_. Erina sighed, "Well yes, I do agree with you, but unfortunately I have very limited free time and it's just more efficient to meet with groups of people at a time."

Soma laughed, a tinge of cynicism in his voice, "Do you always have to think of things so… clinically?"

She murmured as she washed, "What do you mean?"

He replied, "Like, you're practicing flirting and dating, and you're 'maximizing efficiency' to hang out with friends. Don't you ever just wanna throw the plan away and do whatever you want?"

"I do not have the luxury of doing whatever I want whenever! I can't just throw the plan away, Yukihira."

Soma said nothing for a few moments, then exclaimed cheerily as if a lightbulb had lit up inside his head, "Except for right now! You're on vacation and you have no work to do!"

Erina giggled at his puppy-like enthusiasm and she nodded slowly in agreement, prompting him to take a step forward so that he was directly beside her. As the warm water ran over her hands, she stole a glance upwards to see his mischievous golden eyes locked on her amethyst ones. Somehow, she instinctively recognized the same animalistic side of him from her daydream, and the memory made her stomach flip in nervousness.

He suggested lightly in a low voice, "So, you can do whatever you want. No plan needed."

What was that trace of suggestion lingering in his words? Erina kept her eyes glued to the final spotless dish that she refused to stop washing, as her hands were suddenly much too idle. Trying her best to continue the conversation normally, she breathed shakily, "Oh? And what should I do with all this free time?", half-expecting him to laugh obnoxiously and challenge her to a Shokugeki. What she did not expect however, was for him to lean in and whisper in her ear, "We could… _practice._ "

She felt a lump form in her throat at the boy's sudden change in demeanor, and her blood pounded in her chest. She whispered, "Practice what?"

"What we didn't get to finish yesterday."

Erina felt his hot breath tickle her ear and a tingle of temptation ran down her spine...

Before she could make up her mind, without warning, Yuki burst through the double doors, forcing Soma and Erina to jump and take a step back from each other. She exclaimed cheerfully, "Finally, I found you guys! Why haven't you been answering your phones?!" She ran over and hugged Soma fiercely, "And you! Why didn't you tell me you were feeling so sad about our group splitting apart?!"

Soma groaned, "What?" as best as he could, but his windpipes were being crushed by the surprisingly strong girl.

Yuki finally pulled away and said, "Ryoko told me about this morning and how you wanted us to hang out more because you were going to miss us! I felt so crappy for not noticing that you were sad, so I decided to help out!"

Erina mentally slapped herself for being so naive. _He's going to miss EVERYONE, not just you!_

Yuki began pulling Soma and Erina by the wrists out of the kitchen, "Come on, we've gotta go now though!"

The pair said alarmedly in unison, "Where are we going?!"

Yuki turned around to face them, a sparkle in her teal eyes. "Well, in honor of us almost making it to the end of our final year, I planned something. I worked with our manager to make sure everyone's shifts end early tonight, so they'll be there!"

Soma eyed her nervously, "What's going on?"

Yuki bounced up and down excitedly as if she couldn't contain her giddiness. "Buckle up ladies and gentlemen, because as the resident party planner of our group, I planned a little get together in Marui's room!"

Erina's pulse quickened as she recalled how all PSD parties ended up. Yuki had certainly earned her title, as over the years, the parties had become grander and wilder than ever before. _Great, alcohol and Soma. What could possibly go wrong?_

Soma frowned internally. Just as he'd been about to make his move! Maybe he still had time! He asked, "When does it start?"

Yuki grinned playfully, tugging them onto the elevators just before they closed.

"Right now!"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This chapter was really hard to write because there are so many party scenes out there that I didn't want to end up copying! I hope you enjoy this scene of the gang playing one of my favorite drinking games ;) also, 7 minutes in heaven by maddiesmt is an excellent read for those who enjoy party scenes!**

* * *

"Welcome to Casa de Marui! Please make yourselves at home. We've got drinks over there and we'll probably play some games over here," Yuki motioned towards the kitchenette and living room respectively as the three walked into Zenji's spacious hotel room. It seemed everyone except those on the dinner shift had already arrived. The teens were mingling and laughing with red solo cups in hand while party music played in the background just like they did back home. Were it not for the wide queen-sized bed in place of the tiny twin and the sliding doors leading to a pool and hot tub, the kids would've sworn they were back at Tōtsuki.

"Aoki, Sato, and Nikumi comin' after their shift?" Soma asked, waving to some friends on the other end of the room.

Yuki nodded excitedly, "They should be finishing up soon!"

Soma spotted Zenji gathering his collection of books off the floor to make room for BP and smiled, "Dude, even when we go to a hotel you still end up having the biggest room. You're so lucky!"

Zenji replied sarcastically, "Yeah. Really lucky. Just please try not to break anything. I can't afford any of this stuff!"

"You know you love it, Marui! Stop being such a party-pooper!" Yuki winked good-naturedly and bounced off to fiddle with the speakers.

Soma turned to Erina with a grin, "What do you say, Nakiri? Ready to let loose?"

While his question was casual enough, Erina couldn't help but look for an underlying message. _Let loose?_ Her mind raced as she imagined all the sinfully delicious ways she could definitely have fun tonight. Maybe she could give in a little… just for the night? After all, he did make a good point; she was on vacation. Vacations were for relaxing! And she really was finding it draining having to perform emotional acrobatics around this guy and resist his charms!

 **No!** The thought of a prominent girl of culinary nobility such as herself acting like a lovestruck teenager for some Casanova who wouldn't give her a second thought was humiliating enough to snap her back to reality.

But how would she avoid him?! The room was spacious but not enough to hide from anyone! And if the past was any indication, they would definitely end up side by side at the end of this party.

For whatever reason, the pair always found each other at the end of a long drunken night. Either Soma would seek her out on the balcony where she usually went to escape the noise, or she would stumble upon him in the kitchen trying to whip up a snack combination that had never been done before. It had never really been an issue for Erina, as she actually looked forward to his dopey and careless attitude after one-too-many drinks, and she found herself constantly bursting at the seams with laughter during their private conversations. She had grown used to the flirtatious comments and secretive side-glances, perfectly content with the fact that they never amounted to anything.

But now? There was something different about this night and this party. The mischievous twinkle in his eyes told her he had something else in mind apart from conversation, and Erina knew if they ended up alone together, it would be as more than friends. The physical attraction was there, as he had brazenly proved only a few moments ago, but was there anything else? She was too embarrassed to hear the answer either way.

After a quick scan of the room, Erina spotted her trusty aide fixing herself a drink. She quickly excused herself from Soma by ignoring his question and blurting out, "I need a drink," and she rushed over to Hisako. In a frantic whisper, she said, "Hisako, I need you do something for me. Not as a friend but as my loyal assistant. Can you do that?"

Hisako's eyes widened at receiving potential instructions and she nodded dutifully. Erina whispered, "Whatever happens tonight, do NOT leave me alone with Yukihira."

Hisako's stunned expression turned into one of disbelief and she let out a small laugh, but Erina pleaded with her, "Please! I just can't trust myself around him!" She thought back to when Soma's lips had been inches from hers in the kitchen and she'd wanted nothing more than to submit- and that was when she was fully sober!

Hisako sighed resignedly but nodded nonetheless, "Alright, I will do my best."

Erina sighed a relieved thanks and after calming her thoughts, looked Hisako up and down. "You look really nice! Is that a new dress?"

Hisako blushed and folded her arms over her chest. The short mint green dress complemented her pink hair and eyes perfectly, and she groaned, "It's Alice's. She forced me to wear it. She has it in her head that Hayama may have a crush on me."

Erina's jaw dropped at this news, "Really? Do you think so?!"

Hisako shook her head vehemently and said exasperatedly, "No, of course not! We just have a mutual respect as PEERS that Alice has mistaken as romantic feelings. But she was going on and on about it so I just put the dress on to make her stop."

Erina giggled, "Well if he didn't like you before, he certainly will now."

Hisako shook her head, a sad smile on her face, "I don't think so. He's much too…"

"What?"

Hisako admitted finally, "…cool. He's so calm and talented and out of my league."

At this, Erina stomped her foot down and swung Hisako to face her. She used her most commanding voice and said, "Listen to me. You are smart, capable, talented, kind, loyal and beautiful!"

Hisako giggled and Erina continued forcefully, "Any guy would be lucky to be with you. If Alice believes there is a chance that he has romantic feelings for you, it may be true. After all, she was right about my own feelings and I didn't even know it. Should you choose to pursue anything with him, I will support your relationship."

Hisako rolled her eyes but smiled, "Thank you, Erina. Now when are you going to take your own advice?"

Erina stiffened immediately and lost her confident demeanor at once. "That's different…"

Hisako sighed again and filled their cups to the brim. "Let's forget about that drama for tonight, okay? We're going to have a much-needed night of fun with our friends, because who knows when we'll all be able to get together again."

Erina nodded in agreement and clinked her plastic cup against the other, "Cheers!"

* * *

Erina found herself in higher spirits as she giggled and gossiped with Hisako, barely registering Soma's approach. He reached around her to grab a drink, fully adoring the startled look in her eyes as she caught sight of him.

As he filled his drink, he said casually, "Yo, Nakiri, wanna play BP?"

Erina shook her head. First of all, she was supposed to be avoiding him like the plague! Secondly, she had already learned her lesson about lying about things she knew how to do (i.e. skiing). She mumbled truthfully, "I've never played. You wouldn't have fun playing against an amateur."

Soma was shocked at her humble response and he clarified, "I wanted us to play _together_ , like on the same team. I can show you how to play."

Erina's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and she asked demurely, "Really? You'd still want me on your team?"

Soma chuckled, "Of course. We work really well together, don't ya remember?"

Flashbacks of the RdC flooded her mind and she recalled the organized chaos that ensued whenever the redhead and blonde partnered up. One game couldn't hurt, right? They'd be playing with other people, so it wasn't like they'd be alone! Erina gave a look to Hisako indicating she was fine, and she and Soma made their way over to the table. He began arranging the cups in the triangular shape on one end, and she moved to the other to copy his movements.

Erina commented absentmindedly, "Don't forget to explain the rules to me."

Soma couldn't help but tease, "Don't worry, I got you. You know what a great teacher I am."

Erina scoffed at the arrogant boy, "Mediocre at best, Yukihira. Luckily, I can spin your straw into gold because I am a perfect student."

The provocative glint in her eyes and hint of a smirk set his nerves on fire, and he walked over to their end of the table. He put the ping pong ball in her hand and moved it upwards, practicing the throwing formation with her hand in his. He took the opportunity to pretend like he was teaching her, all while whispering in her ear, "Mediocre? You didn't seem to think that yesterday during our 'lesson'."

Erina's face reddened in embarrassment, but before she could even think to respond, Soma cut her off with a sexy smile, "Don't worry. You're a fast learner, Nakiri. I'm sure you'll figure it out."

* * *

Alice watched her cousin and Soma playing beer pong against Takumi and Megumi from the corner of the room. She swirled her drink in her hand as she stared intently at the happy glow surrounding Erina as the redhead cheered her on.

"What are you looking at, milady?" Ryo suddenly appeared by her side, not wanting to leave the white-haired girl to her own devices at parties like these. He'd learned on far too many occasions what she was capable of if given too much free reign.

"Just keeping an eye on my cousin. She seems to be enjoying herself."

Ryo nodded silently in agreement.

Alice tore her ruby eyes from the scene in front of her and faced him, asking seriously in a low voice, "Do you think it's possible Yukihira likes her?"

Thank god Ryo had mastered the impartial stare, otherwise Soma's secret would have been exposed. He wasn't sure if the crazy redhead wanted everyone to know about his feelings for the heiress yet. Ryo merely said, "Not sure. But I don't think he's ever more excited than when she's around."

They both turned to stare at the couple, who were now playfully teasing the other team.

Alice made a sound of deep reflection and sighed. "Thanks, Ryo. This helped! By the way, you're off duty tonight from being my aide. You can go enjoy the party."

Ryo nodded, "Okay, milady," but made no steps to move away from her.

She made a waving motion with her hand and urged him, "Go!"

Ryo's face held the same stone-like expression, but he muttered, "I'm having fun right here."

Alice felt her heart flutter, not for the first time, whenever her usually stoic aide revealed his soft side. She said nothing, choosing instead to hide her quizzical smile behind her cup.

* * *

"We're here, the party can now begin!" Shoji announced loudly, throwing the door open to reveal himself, Daigo, and Ikumi.

"Yo, what's up?!" Soma greeted his friends excitedly as they approached. "How was the dinner shift?"

Ikumi put her hands on her scantily clad hips and sighed, "Long. We wanted to leave earlier but there were so many people! And then these two just had to stop to flirt with some girls along the way here."

Daigo said defensively to Soma, "Dude, they were hot. You'll thank me when they're here."

Erina bristled. _What?_

Soma smirked, oblivious to the blonde's reaction, "You invited strangers to our party?"

Shoji shook his head, "Not really! They're employees here too. They work in the spa."

Right on cue, two beautiful girls poked their heads in, unsure if they had the right room until they saw the boys.

Erina's eyes narrowed as she watched the girls come forward, their beautiful hair swaying and their perfect skin glistening. They stopped directly in front of Soma and gasped a familiar, "Hey, you!"

Soma chuckled awkwardly, "Hey! Good seeing you guys again."

As they chatted with the boys and Ikumi, Soma could feel the icy glare Erina was giving him. He murmured quietly, "Those are the girls I met a few days ago at the bar. Remember? Blue pen?"

She said through gritted teeth, "Oh, I remember. Blue pen."

These girls were super models, no doubt having taken advantage of all the spa treatments they could get their hands on! Erina's jealousy came out in full force and she huffed in annoyance. Why did she have to fall for such a charismatic guy?!

Then, as if the universe were punishing her for all her former misdeeds, a familiar figure walked into the room, forcing her to make a double take. Brad?!

Ikumi waved him over and winked to Erina, "He was with the girls. I thought you might want him here too."

Now it was Soma's turn to feel jealous, and he greeted the guy less amiably than he usually did. Who the fuck did this guy think he was, strolling into a party like he owned the place?

Brad didn't seem to notice though, as he directed all his attention onto Erina. "You guys playing BP? You should be my partner in the next game!"

She laughed politely and waved him off, all too aware of Soma's intense surveillance of their conversation. She hated that she cared so much about his opinion, especially when she was deliberately trying to get over him! Nonetheless, she credited the redhead, "I barely got any of them. Yukihira carried the team."

Brad ignored her claim with a dazzling smile, "Nah, I'm sure you were awesome!" He glanced around the room and nodded appreciatively at the myriad of liquor bottles on the counter, the cute girls laughing and dancing with each other, and the music thumping. "This party's lit!"

Yuki popped up with a happy grin and accepted the compliment, "Why, thank you!" She pulled out her trusty deck of cards which had served them well at previous parties and began shuffling like a professional card dealer with a wicked smile on her face. "You guys ready?"

Brad asked, "You guys play card games?"

"Poker, usually."

Brad thought for a moment, then his face lit up with an idea, "Have any of you ever played King's Cup?"

The group stared at each other in bewilderment and collectively shook their heads.

Brad grinned mischievously, "Wanna play? It's a drinking game with cards. It's pretty fun and gets everyone kinda fucked up."

Alice appeared seemingly out of thin air and crooned, "Did someone say drinking game? We're in!" She gathered the rest of the party around Brad to listen to the instructions.

He shuffled the deck and placed it spread out in a ring around a half-filled cup of beer on the ground. "There are a couple different versions to this game, but we usually play by our own house rules, if that's cool with you guys?"

The group nodded, intrigued. They slowly sat down in a massive circle around the cup and cards. Brad started explaining, "So basically, we sit in a circle and take turns drawing a card. Each card has a different action. If you draw an ace, that means waterfall. You're going to start drinking, and so will each person after you. They'll start and stop as soon as the person before them. That's where you get the waterfall effect. The point is to drink for as long as possible so everyone in the circle gets wasted too."

The group nodded in understanding. Megumi already looked like she was going to be sick.

Brad continued, "Two is for 'you'. If you draw a two, you get to choose who has to drink. Three is for 'me'. You have to drink. Four, which we turned into 'score', basically means you have to kiss someone. If you don't, you've gotta drink. Kinda embarrassing if you pick someone and they reject you, but we've all been there."

Some of the group snickered in nervousness while others blushed. Erina froze with terror; what if she got the card?! Would she be expected to pick Brad?

"Five is for 'guy', as in all guys drink. Six is for 'chicks', so all girls. Seven is for heaven, which we also changed. If you draw a seven, you essentially get to play god. You'll lick the card, stick it to your forehead, and for as long as it sticks, you can ignore or make up any rule you want for anyone. Eight is for 'mate', so you can pick a person to be your drinking buddy for the night. Every time you drink, they have to drink. Nine is 'never have I ever', which I'm assuming you guys know how to play? We'll only play with three fingers, and whoever puts all their fingers down first, drinks. Ten is for 'categories'. You pick a category and the people after have to come up with things that fit the category within 3 seconds, otherwise they drink. Jack is 'rule master', so you can come up with a rule that will last until someone draws another jack or you draw a new card. Queen is 'question master'. If you ask someone a question and they respond with anything but another question, they drink. And lastly, King means pour some of your drink into the communal cup. The person who draws the last King has to drink the whole cup."

Everyone shuddered in disgust at the thought of the revolting alcoholic concoction that would be going down someone's throat by the end of the game.

"I know it's a lot of rules but it's pretty easy to catch on once we start playing. You guys ready?"

* * *

Yuki bravely volunteered to go first. "Eight," she read aloud, trying to remember what it stood for. "Mate! Ooh, okay! Ryoko, you're my mate!" She laughed conspiratorially as she watched the purple haired girl frown. Both sipped lightly from their plastic cups.

Megumi picked the next card hesitantly and breathed in relief as soon as she saw the icon in the corner, "King. Oh, thank goodness." She poured some of her own drink into the cup in the middle, grimacing at the thought of whatever beer and vodka sprite tasted like.

Shun drew next. "Ace. Waterfall. Hope you guys are ready." His calm voice was traced with menace as he lifted the cup to his lips. Everyone readied their cups and began drinking as soon as the person to their left drank. Erina felt the steady flow of liquid become harder and harder to maintain, and she slammed her cup down in gratefulness when she spotted Hisako drop her cup finally.

She hated this game already. Her delicate God's Tongue was a double-edged sword, as she had found over the years that she was infinitely more susceptible to the effects of alcohol than normal people. Her head started to feel fuzzy the way it always did when she was tipsy, and she felt the familiar warm rush of fire envelop her body. _I can do this._

Takumi drew a five. "Five is guys. Alright men, drink up." The boys raised their cups in solidarity and took a long chug. Shoji pounded his cup down and yelled, "Whoo! I love this game!"

The rest laughed in agreement, also feeling slight effects of the inebriating drinks.

Isami drew a Jack. "Jack is… rule maker, right? Okay, how about we can't use any names, only nicknames? If you forget, you drink."

Takumi grinned, "Good rule, _bro_."

Alice lifted a milky white hand to flip over the next card. "Seven." It took a moment, but recognition finally flashed over her face, and she said in a wonderous voice, "That means I'm… god?"

In unison, the group trembled at the thought of Alice holding omnipotent powers during a drinking game. They were already pretty tipsy from pregaming before, and they could tell things were about to get crazy.

Brad nodded, "You are exempt from other rules and can make up any rule until the card falls off. Your old rules will stay in place after though."

Alice's eyes glimmered with intrigue, "Wonderful." She thought for a moment, licked the card, made a face of disgust, and stuck it to her forehead. She smiled at the group with a chilling, serene smile. Then, as quickly as a bullet, she began rattling off orders like a dictator. "Hishoko, sit in Hayama's lap. Aldini brothers, you will only speak in Italian. Marui, take off your shirt. Let's see if you've been hitting something other than the books." She winked cheekily and turned to the two spa employees and Brad. "Newcomers, take a shot as the fee for crashing our party."

Alice's eyes flew over the group one by one before stopping on Erina. Red clashed with purple as the cousins stared at each other. Erina held her breath in apprehension at what she would force her to do. But in a surprising turn of events, Alice didn't do anything. She moved on to her next victim without a word to Erina. Alice felt the poor girl had been honest enough to trust her with her feelings a few days ago, so the least she could do was not tease her further.

"Sweet Megumi, you must curse in every sentence. If any of you draw a card with a heart as the suit, you must jump in the pool. Clothed or not is up to you," the teen giggled scandalously. "If you break one of these rules, you must drink. However in lieu of drinking, you may remove an article of clothing."

The card began slipping, and Alice's final words as god came out in a rush, "Fuck it, everyone take a shot!"

After the horribly strong shot, the friends implemented their new rules with more gusto than expected. Yuki squealed in shock at Marui's surprisingly toned body, Hisako cozied up onto Hayama's lap (her face turning the same shade as her hair), and the group began feeling the seductive effects of the drinks as they played on.

* * *

They continued playing until 3 Kings had been grabbed, learning the ins and outs of the card game. The party was becoming more and more raucous, with its participants growing bolder and drunker. Many were shirtless, many were dripping wet, and many were drunk out of their minds. Ikumi had kissed one of the spa girls, Shun took a shirtless lap outside in the snow, and Brad had performed a dramatic reading of Barbie Girl.

Ryo continued the game (shirtless and wet, much to all the girls' enjoyment). He flipped a new card over and read dully, "Ten is… categories. Three-star Michelin restaurants in Japan. L'Osier."

Akira replied in an instant, "Kanda."

Hisako tapped her fingers in thought before answering excitedly, "Quintessence!"

"Kohaku!"

"Makimura!"

"Uhh…"

"Time's up! Drink, Brad!"

Brad stared in astonishment at the teens and complained, "Only you guys would be able to name all of those!"

Akira reached for the next card. "Two is..." He turned toward the pink-haired girl on his lap, "…you." He smirked at Hisako's baffled face and she begrudgingly drank. She slurred her words, "You tryin' to get me drunk, Hayama?" She then drew her own card, "Three is me? Are you kidding me?" The rest of the group laughed teasingly at her misfortune as she frowned and drank again. _Shit, I am gone_ , she thought as she leaned back into the strong boy, missing Hayama's quiet smile.

It was Erina's turn once again. _Not four, not four, not four._ She had managed to avoid the terrifying card the entire game. Her fingers trembled as she picked a random card. "Nine." _Thank god!_ "Never have I ever… been beaten in a Shokugeki." She smiled naughtily at her friends as almost all of them put a finger down in shame and laughter, calling each other out on their defeats.

Soma continued on her right, "Never have I ever… gotten fired from a job."

A few fingers went down and Soma laughed, "Yo, Aoki, how'd you get fired?"

The boy grinned impishly, "Hooked up with the boss's daughter," earning him oohs and loud laughter.

Brad continued, "Uhh… Fuck, there's not a lot I haven't done anymore," he laughed. "Never have I ever… fallen in love."

The atmosphere shifted to something a little more personal, and this time nobody wanted to call anybody else out, out of fear of being named themselves. More than half the fingers in the room fell sheepishly, Erina and Soma's included. Everyone eyed each other suspiciously, but only a few murmurs of surprise came from those who hadn't dropped their fingers. Erina stared at the finger Soma had put down and her heart ached with pain. Who was it? Did she go to Tōtsuki? Was it before he'd gone there?

She forced herself to look back at her own perfectly manicured finger, unable to believe she'd admitted even this much to their friends. Surely Alice had seen it by now. She was going to get the interrogation of the century later, but right now, she was far too drunk to care. She loved Soma, and although she would never admit it out loud to him, it felt good to let it show in this secret way.

Finally at the end of Erina's round, Soma went next. Despite the fact that two other cards just like it had been drawn, he scratched his head in confusion. "Four? What's that?"

Brad replied with a sly grin, "Score. Ladies, or fellas, we don't judge here, who wants to kiss Yukihira?"

The two girls that had come with Brad shamelessly lifted their hands, as they had for Ikumi and Takumi when they had drawn fours.

"I will!"

"Hey!"

Erina's mind filled with jealous rage as she watched the two girls argue. Who were they to kiss Soma?! They didn't even know him! Not the way she did, anyways! They didn't know how sweet and silly and talented he was; all they saw were his good looks!

She snuck a peek at the boy beside her who looked just as uncomfortable as she felt.

Unable to deny it further, she had to admit, he was hot. His fiery hair, a tumultuous mess from all the times he'd run his hands through it, was enough to make any girl's head turn. She wanted to trace the alluring scar over his eyebrow which reflected his mischievous personality so perfectly. She could melt into his golden eyes, which had held so much kindness and warmth even when hers had been cold and rejecting. Her gaze dropped down to his lips, which had secretly kissed her with unbridled passion only 24 hours ago.

She was feeling dizzy and her heart was beating faster just at the sight of him. Yes, she could clearly see how any girl would want him, and the thought was _maddening._

The girls continued fighting over who would get to kiss Soma, when all of a sudden, Ikumi was stuttering nervously, and her face was as red as a tomato. "Y-Yukihira, if you don't feel comfortable kissing a stranger… I can… we can…"

 _Jesus Christ, not her too!_

All three girls were now in a bidding war over who would get to plant one on the handsome redhead, and Erina could hear Brad whisper over to Soma with a smile, "Not a bad problem to have, bro."

 _That's it!_ After an internal explosion of jealousy and frustration, Erina heard her own drunken voice ring out. "This is ridiculous! In the effort of speeding things along, I am making an executive decision!"

Stunned silence followed as the crowd watched Erina's numb fingers grab Soma by the collar and pull him towards her. Their lips met just as they had the night before; but unlike last time which had started tentatively like a whisper, her lips crashed against his impatiently and without fear.

The tense moment of silence was shattered by astonished cheers and whistles from their friends, along with the jealous girls' scoffs and rebukes, and Erina smiled into the kiss, happy to know she had made her mark on the boy. _Mine_ , she thought greedily, wanting the girls to see.

Soma had finally registered what had happened, and he wrapped his arms around her slim waist and pulled her onto his lap, all while returning her hungry kisses. His head was spinning, his blood pounding, his heart racing- he didn't even care that they were making out in front of everyone. All he could think about was how her world-renowned God's Tongue was teasing his, how she was pressing her chest up against his, how her teeth were biting his lower lip so savagely he thought he might bleed. The world could end at this very second and Soma would die happy, with the princess in his arms and her lips on his.

Reality came crashing back when she abruptly pulled away, stared into his eyes with a glassy, imperceptible expression, and subtly wiped her mouth as if to remove his trace. She shifted off his lap back to her own seat and cleared her throat to silence the lingering whistles and cheers. After the noise died down, she held her head high and said with all the dignity of a queen, "Now we can move on. Brad, I believe it's your turn."

Brad stared in complete shock at the shy girl he had gone out on a date with just hours before. This was the same girl, right?! He reached a hand out for the next card, succinctly ending the night's game. "The last king. Well, fuck me," he laughed bitterly, knocking back the disgusting concoction in one gulp.

After a moment of confused silence on what to do next, Alice murmured tipsily, "Anyone up for the hot tub?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Oh my god, I can't believe I did that." Erina kept muttering over and over again as she stumbled through the deserted halls of the hotel.

Hisako, who was completely wasted at this point, mumbled, "What did you do?"

Unable to contain herself, Alice bounced up and down and squealed loudly, "She made out with Yukihira!"

Hisako gasped dramatically in shock, "When?!"

Erina narrowed her eyes in confusion and exclaimed, "You were there!"

Hisako stopped walking for a moment, then began laughing so hard she fell over, and Erina and Alice had to pull her up by the arms to carry her to the elevators. They smashed the button to go back up to their penthouse as Hisako took off her shoes and slumped down onto the floor of the elevator. She grinned up at them, "Oh yeah! That was soooo crazy!"

Alice grinned, "Seriously, Erina, who knew you were such an exhibitionist?!"

The blonde groaned in embarrassment, "Please stop! This is so shameful. I can literally never show my face ever again."

Alice shrugged carelessly, "Please, you're fine! People have done so much worse at other get-togethers. Do you remember that time Yuki and Isshiki-senpai started a foam party and it spilled onto the first floor? Fumio-san was raging for weeks!"

Erina clenched her fists, insisting, "It's different with the rest of you. You are all students. You're allowed to act ridiculously and without thinking. I don't have the privilege of people seeing their 'headmistress' this way. It feels wrong, like I'm letting down all the people who are counting on me."

Hisako peered up at her and exclaimed frustratedly, "You're allowed to have fun, Erina! I've been by your side for over a decade now and there's no one that works harder than you! It's nice seeing you act like a normal girl once in a while."

Alice couldn't help but tease cheekily, "I'm sure Yukihira likes seeing this side of you as well."

Erina rolled her eyes and helped Hisako back up onto her feet once the elevator doors opened. The three girls made their way back to their suite and began rummaging through their suitcases to find their swimsuits. The group had decided to act on Alice's suggestion to go out to the hot tub, and all the teens had gone back to their rooms to change. The fresh air outside was just what they needed after Soma and Erina's kiss had stifled the air in the room.

Alice giggled as she changed into her white bikini, "I've got to ask though. How was the kiss?!"

Erina's feigned concentration as she focused on tying the straps of her own bikini and pretended not to hear her, but to her horror, Hisako gasped excitedly, "Yes, was it better than last time?!"

 _Shit._

Alice's eyes had grown as big as saucers and the wicked smile on her face grew by the second. "I'm sorry- WHAT?! Last time?!"

Hisako glanced up at Erina with a sickly green face and murmured, "Oops…" But before Erina could say anything, she pushed past the girls into the bathroom and resolutely threw up.

Erina frowned but hurried after her to hold her hair back. "You're lucky we're best friends," she grimaced as the poor girl leaned over the toilet.

Alice rushed over to help as well, rubbing Hisako's back consolingly. She pleaded with Erina, "You have to tell me! I'm your cousin!"

"It was just one tiny kiss! That's it!" she lied, unwilling to discuss her first kiss with the boy she loved while someone was puking only a foot away from her. "Besides, now clearly is not the time!"

Alice muttered, "Don't think we're done talking about this. I saw that little finger of yours lifted during never have I ever, and I don't believe one date with Brad was enough to make you fall in love."

Erina blushed and repeated firmly through clenched teeth, "We will discuss this later."

After a few moments, Hisako finally pressed her head against the cool rim of the porcelain and mumbled, chest heaving, "I feel better now…"

Alice cheered, "Wonderful! Are you ready to rejoin the party?"

Erina huffed, "She's not going back there! She just threw up!"

The red-eyed girl frowned, "She said she's feeling better! Come on, Hishoko, boot and rally. Brush your teeth, put on your swimsuit, and let's keep partying! Hayama's waiting!"

Erina began to protest but Hisako sat up and giggled, clearly still drunk, "Let's do it!"

Erina crossed her arms and pouted indignantly, "Well, what if I don't want to go back?"

Alice took a look at the blush on her cousin's face and instantly knew what plagued her. She sighed and assured her, "Seriously, Erina, chill! Everyone was so drunk they probably don't even remember you locked lips with him."

* * *

"She's totally into you!"

"At the very least she doesn't find you repulsive."

Soma smirked, "Thanks guys, that's super reassuring."

A few of the boys had already changed into their swimsuits and were relaxing in the hot tub. After witnessing Erina's shocking PDA, the guys felt certain there was more to her feelings than she was letting on.

Akira said calmly, "She wouldn't just make out with you if she wasn't somewhat interested. She chose to kiss you when she didn't have to."

Soma seemed unconvinced, scratching the back of his head in confusion, "She was probably just drunk. It didn't mean anything."

Takumi shook his head, "I don't know, man, she seemed pretty lucid to me."

Soma shrugged, "She's so confusing. One second, she's yelling at me for existing, and the next she's kissing me! I don't know what to think."

Ryo smirked, "Maybe it's both."

Soma mumbled, "What do you mean?"

"Maybe she's into hate sex or something."

All the guys laughed at this, agreeing it could be a very real possibility for the Ice Queen, but Soma frowned. He didn't want that at all, especially since he had very real feelings of love towards her! Why did he have to fall for the most complicated girl he'd ever met?!

That kiss though… Soma's head spun as he thought of how passionately she'd kissed him, and he knew there was no way this was a one-sided attraction. A kiss like that couldn't be just for show! And just like their last one, she'd left him wanting more. He glanced surreptitiously back towards Marui's sliding doors for the tenth time to see when he'd catch a glimpse of long golden hair, and finally as luck would have it, she, Alice, and Hisako walked outside. They discreetly stripped and wrapped themselves in towels, giggling secretively in the dark corner.

The way she swayed her hips seductively while walking, the way her thin towel emphasized her incredible body, the way her tousled hair was strewn up into a sexy bun at the top of her head- it was all too much for Soma. He was unable to tear his eyes away from the goddess as she made her way towards the pool.

But what was this?

She'd run into Brad and motioned for him to sit on some nearby pool chairs. Brad gave her a puzzled glance and sat with her, garnering the eyes of curious onlookers, Soma included.

When Alice and Hisako finally slid into the hot tub, the redhead caught Alice's attention and asked quietly, "What's Nakiri doing with Brad?"

Alice looked back discreetly and answered simply, "Taking care of business."

* * *

Erina began shakily, "Brad, I need to apologize for what happened earlier. It was completely disrespectful and unfair to you. My intention was not to make you feel uncomfortable at all, but I realize my actions may have made you feel that way. Please accept my sincerest apologies for my improper behavior earlier."

Brad stared at her in confusion at the formalities and finally offered a small smile, "It's all good, Nakiri. It was pretty clear from the beginning that you and Yukihira had baggage. That's why I was so surprised when you asked me out!"

Erina gaped at him with wide eyes; was it that obvious? Was her chemistry with Yukihira so palpable even strangers could see it? She rubbed an arm nervously and murmured, "I wouldn't say we have 'baggage' per say, but I suppose there are some unresolved feelings there. Thank you for being so understanding."

Brad smiled, "Not a problem. Honestly, I'm kinda used to it. Girls always come to the resort with another guy on their mind looking for a rebound. I don't mind since I'm not looking for anything serious right now. So, with that being said…" he leaned in a little, startling Erina, "…I'm still okay with hanging out in the meantime."

Erina's eyes widened as she caught his drift and she mumbled awkwardly, "Oh, I see. Um, I'll have to think about it."

She could hardly juggle her feelings for one boy- how the hell was she expected to date two?! Nevertheless, she ended their conversation with grace, and she felt better than she had when she'd first come down.

Soma, who had been watching the whole thing like a hawk, had his brows drawn into a frown. What the hell had they been talking about? Why was Brad smiling at her so flirtatiously and why was their conversation such a secret? Soma growled and felt his jealousy return in full force; the hot bubbling water was nothing compared to the lava in his veins when he saw Erina sitting with the handsome ski instructor.

The pair headed back, and all the heads in the pool that had been sneakily spying on them snapped back to normal. Soma plastered on his best go-lucky smile as they both slipped into the warm water, but to his great pleasure, they didn't sit together. Brad got in first, and he watched as Erina made a conscious decision not to sit by him.

She chose instead to sit directly across from Soma, sneaking peeks when she felt certain he was looking away. The sight of his damp chest and toned arms made her feel flushed, and she couldn't help but stare at his lips and the little puff of mist which escaped in the frigid mountain air. Her drunken state of mind was not helping at all, as every fuzzy nerve in her body ached for his touch. More than anything, she wanted to wade through the hot water, collapse onto his lap, and continue their kissing from earlier.

For the first time in her life, she wanted someone to instigate another dumb drinking game. Spin the bottle, truth or dare, 7 minutes in heaven- anything to give her an excuse to kiss him again! Her knuckles were white from gripping the edge of her seat in frustration and she forced her mind to focus when she felt her gaze fall back down to his lips repeatedly.

The hot tub became crowded as more and more of their swimsuit-clad friends finally emerged, ready to once again partake in the fun shenanigans.

"Ugh, there's no room!"

The two spa employees, Brie and Allie, had just emerged from Marui's room holding a bottle of rum and frowning at the very full hot tub.

The one with short purple hair spotted some room between Soma and Megumi and squeezed herself in, sticking her tongue out at her friend. The other girl huffed irritably and crossed her arms, "Allie, that's not fair!"

Hisako glanced around the hot tub, and in an effort to make room, she crawled up on Akira's lap and asked him bluntly, "You don't mind, right? We need to make room!"

Alice and Erina made eye contact and did their best to hide their grins as Akira was noticeably thrown. His normally cool composure was lost as he stuttered, "U-uh, yes, that's fine. Nothing we haven't done before, I suppose."

Hisako smiled at the girl still standing on the outskirts of the hot tub and indicated for her to get in, but she had another idea. Brie smiled slyly and said, "What an excellent idea!"

The gorgeous brunette gingerly stepped into the hot tub and planted herself firmly in Soma's lap. "Now we all fit!" She fiddled with the long strands of hair in his eyes and giggled at his stunned reaction to her sudden appearance in his lap.

Soma dared a glance at Erina and immediately regretted it. Her cat-like eyes were narrowed furiously, and she crossed her arms over her chest tightly. _Is she jealous?_ Soma thought dumbfoundedly. He didn't understand how someone could act like they were interested one minute but repulsed the next! In fact, her constant hot and cold attitude towards him was kinda pissing him off. His intoxicated state didn't help his attitude either.

Soma took the bottle from the girl's hand and took a long swig, maintaining intense eye contact with Erina directly across from him. He shot her a smirk from across the pool that was certain to annoy her further, but he didn't care.

If she wanted him, she could damn well say something.

* * *

They stayed in the hot tub for ages, reminiscing over the good times they'd had over the last three years and discussing their plans for the future. Alice insisted the crew was more than welcome to visit her and Ryo once they were settled in Denmark, Takumi and Isami said the same thing about Florence, and so on. As they made plans to visit each other around the world, an air of melancholy surrounded them.

"I'm gonna miss you guys so much!" Yuki cried, settling her head on Ryoko's damp shoulder.

Daigo muttered, "C'mon, Yoshino, don't talk about that stuff now. It's a party!"

"I can't help it! You guys are like my family and I just-" she sniffed, wiping a tear away, "I don't want our group to break apart!"

"It won't," Marui said factually, "There's no way it could after everything we've been through together."

"Remember the Friendship and Rapport Training Camp?"

"And the Autumn Elections?"

"And defeating Central?"

Yuki waved her arms in surrender and giggled, "Alright, I get it! Friends forever. Deal?"

Soma snuck a glance at the blonde princess and was surprised to see she was looking back at him. _Friends forever, right, Nakiri?_ He shot her a small smile and she returned it, somehow telepathically understanding. _Deal, Yukihira._

The rest of the students cheered in agreement, clinking plastic cups and letting the steaming water wash away their fears and worries.

* * *

"So, Brad, how long have you been working here?" Takumi asked, feeling impolite at excluding the non-Totsuki alumni from their conversation. Also, as Soma's self-appointed wingman, he felt as though he should scope out the competition for his friend and decided to take this as an opportunity to find out more about the man.

"Four years!" Erina piped up, pleased with herself at remembering this fact.

Brad chuckled and nodded, "Yup, been here for a while now."

Yuki frowned, "Aren't you like our age? How have you been working all this time?"

Brad shrugged nonchalantly, "I did my first year of high school, but it wasn't for me. Dropped out and came here to work the next year and I've been here ever since."

Soma's eyebrows raised in surprise as he processed this news. "Wow, you must've been pretty great at snowboarding if you left school for it. My dad didn't let me skip high school and I've been dead set on being the head chef at our diner since I was like three," he laughed.

Erina scowled, suddenly feeling as though this was turning into an interrogation. She locked eyes with the boy who still had the slim girl on his lap and said, "Some people don't need the extra help, Yukihira. This was probably his passion!"

The ski instructor admitted, "I wouldn't say it was my passion. I just didn't know what else to do and I needed a break. I guess that break turned into a few years."

Isami asked, "You never wanted to be a professional?"

"I did at one point but man, that's so much work! I'd rather just chill here at the resort and have fun!"

Erina stiffened imperceptibly in surprise and commented breezily, "Oh? I didn't know that."

To anyone else, she might've appeared merely curious, but Soma had joked, worked, and even battled with her. He knew every lilt of her voice and look in her eyes, and he could tell she did not like hearing that.

Brad shrugged indifferently, "It didn't come up."

"Listen, I'll show you what it's like to be a master at your craft," Ryo said abruptly. He pulled the soggy red bandana off his wrist and tied his raven hair back. He let his alter-ego shine through, barking, "Who's up for a Shokugeki?"

"Drunk foods!" someone called out as the challenge, and everyone moaned in excitement at stuffing their faces with comfort food after a night of drinking.

Hands flew up instantly and chaos ensued as the teens hustled out of the hot tub, water sloshing, giggling and predicting who would win against who. As she stepped out with her friends to go back to Marui's room, Erina could hear the girl's airy voice behind her ask Soma what a Shokugeki was and if they could stay in the hot tub a little longer.

She wrapped her towel around herself as tightly as it could get, pitifully attempting to subdue the throbbing pain of her broken heart.

* * *

By the time Soma had made his way back into Marui's room, the impromptu Shokugeki was already starting. Ryo, Akira, Takumi, Alice, and Ikumi were all squeezing past each other and yelling in the tiny kitchenette, which only had a fridge, microwave, and small stove. No normal person would ever be expected to prepare a gourmet meal with such limited resources, but this was an easy feat for the Jewel Generation of Tōtsuki. They still took it as seriously as they did every other challenge though, never satisfied with preparing any old dish.

Soma exclaimed sadly, "Aw, you guys started without me?!"

Ikumi yelled absentmindedly while focused on scrounging up worthy ingredients, "You can go the next round!"

A flash of inspiration hit him, and the redhead exclaimed, "Ooh, I've got a secret ingredient for you guys to use in my room. I'll be right back!" He started for the door, when Brie bounced up and offered to go with him. He stared at her curiously but shrugged nonetheless, and the two left the room.

The moment they left however, Megumi instantly burst into tears!

The girls who weren't focused on cooking instantly huddled around her. "What's wrong?!"

Megumi sniffed and said quietly so she wouldn't be overheard, "Th-that girl. She kissed Takumi-kun during the game!"

The girls lifted their brows in surprise and amusement, and Ryoko teased lightly, "I see, and why does that bother you?"

The blue-haired girl blushed and hesitantly whispered, "Because… I think I like him!"

Yuki squealed loudly, "Finally! Some romance!" and was promptly shushed by everyone in the circle. Megumi exclaimed in a panic, "You can't tell anyone!"

Erina assured her, "We won't tell anyone. But I really think it's okay. That was just a dare for a game. It probably didn't mean anything to him!"

Yuki nodded in agreement, "Erinacchi is right, and she would know, since she kissed Yukihira!"

Erina felt the blood drain from her face as she murmured nervously, "Exactly. It didn't mean anything..."

Megumi stared at the girls with worry in her eyes, lower lip trembling, but she wiped her tears away and gave a slight smile.

Hisako giggled tipsily, "I think it's so sweet though! You two would be an adorable couple!"

Megumi blushed harder but still giggled back, "He's just so sweet and calm, like a true gentleman! I didn't notice before when I was still hung up over S-" Megumi froze, eyes darting towards Erina, and she backtracked nervously, "I just didn't really notice until recently."

Yuki said, much more quietly out of fear of retribution, "Well I'm glad one of us is finally getting some love experience!" The perky teal-eyed girl turned to Erina and smirked, "And I heard through the grapevine you had a date today! How'd it go?!"

Erina felt all eyes shift towards her and she crossed her arms defensively as she repeated the words she'd said to Soma only a few hours ago, "It was fine!"

"Just fine?"

Erina sighed irritatedly, "Yes, just fine. He's nice! We're not going to get married or anything, but it was fine!"

Yuki sighed, "Well that's disappointing. He's so good-looking you'd hope there was more to him."

Ryoko giggled, "Sometimes it's the guys that are the prettiest that are the most boring."

Yuki pouted, "There's gotta be a happy medium somewhere. What's yalls ideal guy? Like straight out of build-a-boyfriend?"

The girls blushed and shrugged, leading Yuki to pout, "Fine, I'll go first! My ideal guy is tall, dark, and handsome. He's super fun and down for anything! Hisako, what's your ideal guy like?"

Hisako said after a moment of thought, "Someone talented and hard-working, confident, calm…" she trailed off as her eyes wandered over to the tan Indian chef in the kitchen.

At Yuki's direct glare, Erina finally muttered, "Oh, alright. I suppose it would have to be a chef." After today's date when Brad took her to an average restaurant and couldn't distinguish between different kinds of pasta, Erina knew she would have to date someone with the same interests and talents as herself. "Someone earnest towards his cooking. Someone that never forgets his goal of forging ahead. Someone that surpasses my expectations of them… in ways I can respect them for."

All the girls thought back to Brad's exclamation of how he didn't become a professional snowboarder because of all the hard work it would entail. _So, that definitely wouldn't work out. But wait a minute… that does sound like someone we know…_

* * *

Megumi had finally wiped away her final tear and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry about that. I am done crying for the night!"

Ryoko teased, "It wouldn't be a party without at least one person drunk-crying."

Hisako laughed, "Remember last time when Alice was stealing pieces of clothing from everyone and she cried because Yukihira wouldn't let her wear his bandana?"

Megumi brought a hand to her chin and thought aloud, "Speaking of which, where is Soma-kun? His room is right down the hall and he's been gone for a while."

Erina's mind instantly flew to the memory of that supermodel leaving the room with him. Why was he taking so long? Were they doing something else?!

She began to seethe internally picturing the two of them in her head. _That idiot! That absolute two-timing bumbling-_

But her thoughts were interrupted by said man finally appearing at the entrance with a baggie of dried squid in his hand. "Sorry we're late! But I got it! This is the secret ingredient you guys gotta use!"

Erina inspected him from top to bottom, noticing how his fiery red hair was more disheveled than usual. Her heart beat faster as she pictured another girl's hands tangled up in his long locks or another girl's lips pressed against his. She watched as the brunette leaned in to whisper something in his ear and his responding laughter.

Red. Red was all she could see. How dare him! How dare her! How dare the both of them for mocking her this way!

She bided her time, and when Soma suddenly left the room to go towards the bathroom, Erina sneakily followed. She waited until the moment the door swung back open, pushing past it and locking it behind her.

"Nakiri, what the hell-" Soma began, but Erina cut him off using her best authoritative voice, "She needs to leave."

Soma stared at her in confusion, "Who?"

Erina narrowed her eyes, fully pissed off at how he was playing innocent. "Hm, I don't know, who could I be referring to? Perhaps the tall lanky brunette who's been hanging off every guy this entire night?"

Soma let out a disbelieving chuckle and asked dryly, "Why does she need to go?"

Erina exclaimed, "She made Megumi cry!"

At this, Soma's face steeled and his tone changed immediately, asking seriously, "What? How?"

"She offended her with her promiscuity! Some girls, like myself and Megumi, still have decency and don't appreciate being around such wanton behavior! She's just flirting around with whoever she wants, and she kissed Takumi earlier! In case you hadn't noticed, Megumi likes him."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he commented in amusement, "I had no idea. They'd be good together though."

Erina continued, "So you see why she needs to go."

Soma rolled his eyes at this, "I'm sure Tadokoro's over it by now. It was just a game, right?" Gold met purple as Soma stared meaningfully into Erina's eyes, trying to decipher any hidden meaning to her previous confusing action. She stuttered dismissively, "O-of course it was…"

The redhead looked disappointed at her answer, and he muttered, "Then she can stay. Cool."

He tried to go around Erina, but she wouldn't let him. Instead, she blocked him with both arms so that she was pressed between him and the door. Her face was beet-red and she finally blurted out the question she'd been dying to ask since she cornered him. "Why did you take so long with her?"

Soma gave out a tired laugh, exhausted from her tsundere attitude. "Nothing happened, Nakiri." He wasn't sure why he felt the need to defend his actions, especially when she'd given no indication she even cared about him.

Erina met his gaze, his face only a few inches from hers, and challenged quietly, "Really? So, nothing happened for 10 minutes even though your room is right down the hall?"

He murmured lowly in response, "Would you care if something did?"

Erina didn't answer, frozen to her spot, unable to come up with any response that could ever satisfy them both.

"She wanted to talk, like away from everyone else. And then…" he trailed off. Erina's breath hitched in her throat as she waited. "She made a move on me or whatever. But I wasn't into it. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Erina felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, and she quickly looked away to avoid his piercing gaze.

Soma didn't give her the chance to wipe them away, because he grabbed her chin with his hand and moved it back to face him. "Why do you care? You're dating someone else."

Erina exclaimed, "Barely! We're _casually_ dating!" as if this were any excuse for him to not see other people as well.

Soma was ready to pull his hair out and he asserted, "Okay? And? That's what I'm doing too! Jesus, Nakiri, you don't have a monopoly on dating!"

"I know I don't! I just- I think you should choose more wisely! Who knows how many guys she's kissed at this resort?! You might get mono or some transmittable disease!"

Soma examined her for a moment before saying, "You know if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous."

Erina huffed and tried to cross her arms in frustration but there was no room between Soma and the door. She settled for stomping her foot angrily and hissing, "As if!"

Soma gained confidence from her pink cheeks. She _was_ acting like a jealous girlfriend. He took a chance and said, "Well, I think you could do better too."

She scoffed, "What's that supposed to mean?!"

He arched an eyebrow, "Be real with me. You're still into Brad after hearing everything he said?"

Soma was pretty angry now. It wasn't fair that Brad got her and he didn't. it wasn't fair that he'd worked his ass off for three years trying to prove himself and Brad didn't have to! He knew Erina better than anyone, and he knew that she would never be interested in someone with such a blasé attitude about their goals.

Erina circumvented his question with one of her own, "I didn't realize you were such an elitist, Yukihira. Since when have you ever cared about someone's background?"

Soma said blankly, "I don't. I'm just surprised you don't either. You tried to kick me out of the school because of my 'commoner' background."

Erina said coldly, "I'm a different person than I used to be. You should know that. If anything, you should be happy."

Soma winced involuntarily. What part of this would make him happy? How he'd done all the heavy lifting and convinced Erina to take a chance on people like him just so guys like Brad could swoop in and steal her?

But he said none of those things, and his throat closed at the thought of admitting how hard he'd worked to win over a girl who had deemed him lower than scum on the first day they'd met.

"So, you're going to keep going out with him," he said with a clenched jaw.

Erina hesitated; honestly, she hadn't planned on it after tonight. No amount of handsome could change the fact that she needed a partner with ambition and drive, not someone content to let life pass him by. But she couldn't give Soma the satisfaction, and she lied, "Maybe. He made it pretty clear he was still interested."

Soma leaned in so closely he could see every speckle of pink in her jewel-toned eyes. His competitive side got the best of him in the end, and he growled, "You shouldn't waste your time on him, Nakiri." _Fuck Brad and fuck every guy that tries to get near her._

Erina's chest began to rise and fall in shallow breaths and her mouth was suddenly dry. Her spinning head provided no respite from the swirling emotions within her, and she felt the tears return to her eyes. She whispered, voice trembling, "How dare you? You have no right to tell me who I can or can't go out with. For three years you've had no opinion on the matter and suddenly you're telling me how _I_ feel? Yukihira, you are the most insufferable man I have ever met!"

His body was completely pressed against hers now; there was no escaping. His heart was pounding so fast he felt like it might rip through his chest. Here she went again berating him, yet everything up until this point had led to the fact that she'd been jealous. Could he take a chance? Could he stand the rejection?

He stared into her eyes, looking for a hint; a clue; something that would tell him which way this gorgeous riddle of a woman was leaning. But face was carefully guarded, something she had learned no doubt from years of abuse.

 _It's now or never._

Soma had never been good with words, but he was good with actions. He tilted his head down as if to kiss her, but moved it at the last second. He planted a soft kiss on her cheek, then another and another, all the way towards her ear. His hand slipped under the light sweater she was wearing, just barely grazing her soft skin. She gasped in surprise at the gentle touch and felt her stomach flutter in anticipation. He finally murmured into her ear, "Insufferable? Then why haven't you stopped me?"

Erina stifled a moan as she felt his hot breath shudder over her skin, and she felt him continue to trail kisses and lick the sensitive spots of her neck and collarbone. She squirmed under his lips but managed to whimper, "I-I cannot s-stand you…"

Soma only chuckled, wrapping an arm around the small of her back and nuzzling into her neck further.

"Just tell me to stop, Erina," he murmured as he moved to the other side of her face, peppering her with soft kisses.

"D-don't call me that," she squeaked, eyes closed, fully immersed in the pleasurable sensations he was creating.

Soma chuckled lowly against her skin, "So, you _can_ still say no. Just checking, _Nakiri._ "

In a flash and with little effort, he scooped her up under her legs and dropped her down on the countertop. He stared straight into her eyes and said, "I don't want to talk about anyone else tonight." It was his attempt at calling a truce between them, just for right now. No one except for them existed outside of this perfect little bubble, one where they didn't have to talk about their feelings- they could just act.

She nodded desperately, and at her silent agreement, he kissed her instantly and deeply, seemingly wanting to make up for lost time.

 _Finally_ , she thought with satisfaction, as she wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her fingers through his hair. She returned his kisses in full force, only breaking apart for those pesky moments of air. God, how they'd gotten good at this. She truly couldn't stand it. With every passionate kiss and dip of his tongue, she felt herself melting more into his arms.

His hand slowly made its way up her toned thigh, inching forward as he returned his attention to her neck. She groaned in bliss, allowing the hand to slip past her skirt as she pressed into him even harder than before.

"Fuck," Soma's strangled chuckle came out against her neck, and he pulled at the tie in her hair to free her golden locks. He returned his kisses back to her lips and found that his assessment from before had been correct: Erina was absolutely delicious.

The couple was twisted into each other and panting from each burning kiss, when all of a sudden, a call came from the door.

"Hey, Nakiri."

Soma and Erina froze in horror. Erina frantically pushed Soma behind the door so that when she swung to open it, he was hidden.

"What do you need, Kurokiba?" she asked in a clipped tone, face still flushed and lips swollen red.

The boy muttered, "We wanted to know if you wanted to judge the Shokugeki."

Erina breathed a sigh of relief and said lamely, "No, thank you. I'm... not feeling well."

Ryo shrugged and called out, "What about you, Yukihira? Up to judge?"

Erina felt her stomach drop, and Soma awkwardly shuffled out from behind the door. "Uh, nah, I'm good."

Ryo nodded and walked away, leaving the two embarrassed and filled with shame.

Erina adjusted her skirt which had shifted to the side and muttered, "Well, that was the most disgraceful thing to have ever happened to me."

Soma smirked, "Yeah, that was pretty bad. You know what this means, right?"

"We have to rejoin the party, obviously! People have noticed we're missing!"

He looked as though he were weighing the options and whispered, "Or, it means we should go back to my room for more privacy... It's just down the hall."

Erina wavered... She really shouldn't... But one glance into his amber eyes left her weak at the knees again, and she found herself saying okay. "We'll only be there for a few minutes. We shouldn't ditch the party. After all, Yuki planned this for you."

Soma grinned in excitement, "No, you're right, of course we shouldn't. 10 minutes max."

And yet, despite every fiber of their beings agreeing it would be a short tryst, they weren't seen for the rest of the night.


	9. Chapter 9

"Hurry!" the blonde urged as Soma struggled to find his card key.

They'd made it back to his room as covertly as ninjas, slipping out undetected and avoiding any questions from their rowdy friends who were too distracted by their Shokugeki to notice. As soon as they crossed the threshold of his dark room, Soma pulled her back and pressed her flat against the door, adoring the little gasp that escaped her and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. They only had a few moments before they had to return, and Soma didn't want to waste a second.

Suddenly though, Soma pulled away. "Nakiri," he asked cautiously as he scanned her face, "You're not, like, totally wasted right now, right?"

"Don't be ridiculous! A true lady is never 'wasted', Yukihira!" She hit him playfully before admitting grudgingly in a small voice, "I am, however, moderately intoxicated. Why?"

Soma rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't taking advantage of you or anything, ya know? We can still go back to the party…" The adorably nervous look on his face and his fidgeting hands made Erina want to melt, but the way he was looking to her for reassurance only put more pressure on her to admit her feelings! Admittedly, she was drunk, but she was still in full control of herself and all her actions! How could she admit she'd been wanting this to happen all day, far before the party had started?

She settled on teasing him in familiar fashion to put his fears to rest. "Thank you for checking, but unfortunately I am sober enough to consent to what is happening. Thankfully, I've had enough drinks to lower my standards to a commoner like you."

This answer seemed to reassure Soma that she was in her right mind, because he leaned back down to kiss her, playing along, "Oh, a commoner like me?" to which she giggled and nodded, accepting the kiss. Erina flung her arms around his neck attempting to bring him even closer, as if it were possible.

Everything about him was irresistible to her: the light scent of cologne that lingered on his neck, the taste of rum and coke on his tongue, his rough hands on her waist and neck. Each drunken nerve was pulsing with desire for this guy who, up until recently, she was certain she felt nothing but irritation for. It was exciting in a way to act so contrary to everything she thought she knew and to give in to the feelings she'd been desperately trying to smother since they met.

They kicked off their shoes as they crossed the room, and the pair landed clumsily on the couch with Erina falling on top of him.

She straddled him, sweetly caressing his face, but her words were as sharp as knives. "Was this where she made a move on you?"

Soma teased, gripping her waist, "You're so hot when you're jealous."

Erina looked at him innocently through her dark lashes. Her angelic face contrasted with her sour words. "I'm not jealous. I was just wondering how I compared."

Soma laughed at her obvious baiting and ran a hand up her shapely side, admitting, "I'd take your worst insults a thousand times over her sweetest kisses."

The blonde smiled smugly and grabbed a fistful of his hair, gently arching his head back. She licked a singular line up his neck, feeling him shudder and move beneath her. "Good answer," she whispered into his ear.

"Nakiri," he groaned, eyes shutting involuntarily, "You're not playing fair."

He swiftly switched positions and laid her flat underneath him, accidentally knocking the pillows down and shifting the cushions. Erina's skirt had fallen to her waist, and Soma's warm hand slipped up her thigh, gently tracing up and down with his fingertips as they kissed.

She couldn't help but let out a satisfied whimper, and she panted, "Neither are you."

* * *

Erina couldn't think straight at all, not with Soma's warm body grinding against hers and his soft kisses on her neck. The fuzzy feeling from her extremities had spread throughout her body, and she couldn't help but run her hands under his shirt and over his back longingly. Being here with him was everything she'd wanted and more.

Something was bothering her in the back of her mind though, and she couldn't stay in the moment. If anyone from the party had noticed they were both conveniently missing, they'd begin piecing it together! She asked distractedly between deep kisses, "What… time… is it? We should… really… head back."

Soma made a sound of frustration but reached out for his phone, reluctantly agreeing. "Yeah, it's probably been like half an hour. We should-"

He stopped speaking, and Erina could see the look of confusion on his face illuminated from the bright light on his phone.

"What?"

Soma pulled her up so that she was sitting with him, and he chuckled nervously, showing her the time on his phone. "Um, we've been gone for like two hours…"

Erina jumped off the couch in a flash and exclaimed in a panic, "What?! How is that even possible?"

Soma smirked, "Time flies when you're-"

"Don't," she growled. "We have to go back now!"

Soma scratched his temple. "The party's probably over by now but yeah we can check it out."

She paced up and down the room, stressing out and rambling aloud, "If the party is over, that means Alice and Hisako would have noticed I wasn't in bed by the time they went back. And if isn't over and we come back now, everyone will definitely notice we've been gone this whole time." Erina rummaged through the room frustratedly. "Where is my purse? I think I left it in Marui's room… My key was in there! Now I'll have to knock to get into my own room, surely waking them!"

Soma was holding onto her logic by a thread. He was very tired, drunk, and turned on. He settled on nodding agreeably at everything she said when she looked at him for confirmation.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Soma finally asked, "Sooo, what does that mean?"

Erina tapped her foot anxiously and said distraughtly, "I'm in trouble either way."

The redhead shrugged in his usual carefree attitude and relaxed back onto the couch. "You might as well stay here then."

The blonde's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"Yeah, just stay. You can get your key back in the morning when Marui's awake and say you crashed with someone, like Tadokoro. I'm sure she'd cover for us."

Erina shifted nervously. Her hesitation didn't stem from sleeping there, although it certainly wasn't something to broadcast. It was that every other time they'd kissed, it was forced to come to an end prematurely, and she'd secretly been glad. Those time limits and fears of interruption were what kept her thinking straight. Without them, she didn't know if she would be able to stop herself during an entire night alone with Soma. She stood there combatting her inner turmoil while the redhead got up from the couch and collected her in his arms.

"Nakiri, I'm not trying to force you to stay or anything," he chuckled lightly, "You can go back to your room if you wanna. I just like having you here." He kissed the top of her forehead sweetly and headed to the bathroom.

She murmured, clearly conflicted, "But I don't have a change of clothes or a toothbrush…"

He called out while brushing his teeth, voice muffled, "I have some t-shirts you can wear. Check my suitcase."

She awkwardly pulled a large black t-shirt out and held it up. It even smelled like him, she noticed shyly. _I can't do this, right? This is too weird!_

He continued, "And you can just borrow my toothbrush."

Erina exclaimed, "Ew, that's disgusting! You actually expect me to use the same one as you?!"

Soma came out of the bathroom with his eyebrows raised and a wry smile. "Uh, what do you think we've been doing for the past two hours, Princess? Pretty sure it's like the same."

Erina glared at him and crossed her arms but made no movements. Soma sighed, "Well, I'm gonna take a shower and go to sleep. You're more than welcome to stay, but I get if you wanna sleep in your own bed. So, if I don't see you when I get out…" he scooped her up in his arms again and planted a soft kiss on her lips, smiling as he felt her arms around him tighten.

"…goodnight."

* * *

Soma couldn't wipe the idiotic grin off his face as he showered. This was hands-down one of the best nights of his life. Not just because of the physical stuff, obviously, but because Erina Nakiri, the literal Queen of Cuisine, seemed to like him. Soma certainly had confidence in his skills in the kitchen and would never back down from a good cooking challenge, but this was a whole new arena. He couldn't believe someone as exquisite and smart as her was actually interested in him, and the possibility was shooting his happiness out of orbit.

He couldn't stop thinking about her sparkling eyes that went from wide and doe-like to narrowed and angry in a split second, or her never-before-heard unrestrained laughter. He especially loved her snarky comments that always put him down just before she lifted him back up with those same lips.

If anyone had told him what he would be doing that night, he probably would've laughed and told them they were dreaming. Now, it was like he was the one in the dream getting to be with the girl he'd been pining over for the better part of 3 years! This was better than winning a Shokugeki. Hell, this was better than if he'd won a 50-1 match!

Soma felt like he had a fighting chance now at winning over her heart. Even if she didn't love him the way he loved her, tonight was a good start. They were already good friends, and now he knew she was attracted to him. All that was left was to convince her he was boyfriend material! Easy!

His thoughts were interrupted when he vaguely heard the door to the hotel room shut, and he felt his heart sink down to his stomach. _Damn it,_ he thought dejectedly. He really thought she was going to stay. She'd seemed on the fence about it, but he felt like she'd been leaning his way. That was the thing about her though; he could never figure her out. If there was anyone who perfectly encapsulated the term "hot and cold", it was the Nakiri heiress. Usually it was kinda sexy, but when his feelings were on the line like this, it drove him crazy! Sure, she seemed interested tonight, but what about tomorrow? He prayed she wouldn't regret what had happened between them in the morning.

Still, he couldn't fault her too badly for leaving; after all, she was still Erina, and he knew how she was about stuff like this. If anyone found out she'd been here all night she would probably die. He chuckled to himself thinking of her bright pink cheeks and skittish attitude whenever she was embarrassed. She was so cute.

After he finished showering and changing into sweatpants, he stepped out of the bathroom, still towel-drying his hair, only to stop in his tracks from shock. Erina was in his black t-shirt casually brushing her teeth two feet away from him.

His t-shirt, which should have been huge on her, clung to her assets a little too well, stopping teasingly mid-thigh, and Soma had to forcibly stop his eyes from roaming for too long. The last thing he needed was for her to think this was all some creepy ploy, but damn, seeing her in his Yukihira diner shirt was like a weird fantasy he didn't even know he had. He finally managed to get out in confusion, "I thought you left? I heard the door close."

She gave him a sidelong glance and finished brushing her teeth. She finally explained, "I went to the front desk to get a toothbrush. They always have extra toiletries."

Soma felt his spirits rising and he approached her slowly. "You didn't wanna just go back to your room?"

Erina blushed, sputtering, "N-no, but only because I didn't want to wake up Alice and Hisako if they were there! Besides, you said it was fine, right?!"

He smirked, "It's more than fine," before languidly pressing her body up against his and kissing her deeply. It had been all of 10 minutes that they'd been apart, and he already missed the feeling of her lips against his. Erina sighed contently, wrapping her arms around his bare torso. He smelled like soap, tasted like mint, and he was still warm from the steaming shower. While she would never admit it, she liked the feeling of his skin under her hands. It felt natural and comforting to be so close to him despite it being such a new sensation.

After a moment, Soma cleared his throat awkwardly and his cheeks reddened. "Um, so I'm gonna go to bed. You can do whatever: watch TV, cook, sleep…"

It was nearly 2 in the morning and Erina was exhausted, but suddenly the reminder of them sharing a bed made a jolt of electricity course through her body. Her yawn escaped her though, and she mumbled shyly, "I think I'll go to sleep as well. It's been a long night."

* * *

They climbed into bed and remained there in silence, unable to see past their own hands and listening to the other's breathing, wondering if they were asleep.

"Hey," Soma tested quietly to see if she was awake.

"Hm?"

He voiced the concerns that had been in the back of his mind for a while, beginning tentatively, "Tomorrow, when we see each other…"

"We can cross that bridge when we come to it," she cut him off in an uncharacteristically calm manner.

That wasn't like her. The Erina he knew liked to plan things to the minute. Soma narrowed his eyes in confusion, "Really? You're cool with just playing it by ear?"

He heard her make a sound of mild offense and she said, "Of course, we're both adults."

They both stayed silent for a moment, staring up at the ceiling. Soma finally asked in a suspicious voice, "Nakiri, you're not gonna pretend like you can't remember what happened tonight, right?"

She paused for a beat, sighed irritably and grumbled, "Well, now I certainly can't."

Soma immediately burst out laughing at her unplanned confession and turned on his side to face her, exclaiming, "I fucking knew it!"

Caught off guard at her plan being discovered, she couldn't help but laugh in astonishment, "How?!"

Soma grinned slyly, "Because I know you."

She rolled her eyes at his assuming statement and admitted reluctantly between giggles, "I had a whole lie worked out about the God's Tongue and alcohol and how it affects my brain… Hisako was going to write me a doctor's note."

They both burst into laughter on opposite sides of the bed at her absurd plan before Soma finally controlled his breathing. He was unable to stop a little bit of hurt from slipping into his words though, and he teased lamely, "Damn, I didn't realize tonight was so terrible."

Erina rolled over to face him and said in a panic, "No, it wasn't!"

At seeing the surprise in Soma's eyes, she backtracked in a much steadier voice, "I just didn't want things to be weird tomorrow."

"They don't have to be weird if we don't make them weird."

Erina smirked dryly. "If only it were that simple, Yukihira."

He frowned and gently pulled her against him, leaving only a few inches of space between their faces. He said soothingly, "Hey, seriously, I'm okay with whatever you want. You can set the pace. I just…"

Even in the dim light, she could see that he was blushing, and he admitted quietly, "You have no idea how long I've wanted this."

Her heart stopped.

Erina wanted to agree or admit how she felt, but the words were literally caught in her throat. The whole point of tonight was that she could act without consequences! She wasn't ready to confess her feelings or change their dynamic. She wasn't ready to put herself out there like that yet.

So, she decided, they weren't going to talk about their feelings—not if she could help it.

She leaned forward and kissed him passionately, cupping his face and tangling her fingers in his hair, trying to convey her feelings without words. Soma responded in kind, pulling her flush against his body, erasing the little space that had been between them. She hooked a bare leg over his hips and Soma slid his hand up as if it were the most natural thing in the world. How easy it had become for them to express themselves like this. Definitely easier than words.

She pulled his bottom lip between her teeth and murmured coyly, "I've told you before. If it had been easy it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun."

Soma chuckled, "Nothing is ever easy when it comes to you." He dropped his lips to her jawline, kissing her softly as though she were made of porcelain all the way up to her ear. He nipped it playfully and whispered, "Good thing I like a challenge."

* * *

Erina awoke with a start early that morning. It couldn't have been past 7 am; the room was still dark, and the usually bustling hallway was quiet. She felt like absolute death. Her head was pounding, but that was nothing compared to the churning in her extremely delicate stomach. Well, that was what she got for trying to hold her own in a drinking game with the notoriously heavyweight PSD gang. She half-sat up in bed and reached for the glass of water she'd left out on her nightstand, but it wasn't there. And where were her phone and novel? She blinked once, then came to the slow realization that it wasn't her nightstand.

Her eyes fumbled in confusion over the room, looking for Hisako, Alice, or her bags- any sign that this was in fact her suite. However, the unfamiliar layout of the small room along with the dingy black suitcase in the corner confirmed her horrible suspicion. It was not.

Her gaze inched to the other side of the bed.

Sure enough, a sleeping Soma laid sprawled out, _shirtless_ , she noted, in the same bed as her. Memories from last night flooded her mind. Every desperate kiss, every heated touch, every murmured word revealed itself to her. A flutter of excitement swept through her body recalling how he'd whispered salacious commands and promises in her ear; how he'd trailed wet kisses down her body; how she'd lost herself with her fingers tangled in his hair.

Her hands automatically patted herself down under the covers and she breathed a sigh of relief; at least she was still wearing the t-shirt. Nevertheless, she pulled the covers up over her body as if the unconscious boy next to her could somehow see her.

She eyed him anxiously with the same fear a rabbit would survey a fox, studying the steady rise and fall of his broad back with each deep breath. He was knocked out cold, no doubt from staying up for hours with her. After she was convinced that he was truly asleep, she let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her muscles eventually relaxed a bit and she loosened her grip on the sheet.

Her eyes slowly roamed from his back to the red locks pressed against his pillow. They were more chaotic than ever, but she knew from their time as dormmates that his messy bedhead only served to make him look more roguishly sexy in the mornings.

She tentatively reached a hand out and ran her fingers through his soft hair as he slept. He made a soft sound of happiness and Erina froze, but thankfully he was still fast asleep.

Her gaze fell to his face. She drank in the features of his adorably peaceful expression and memorized the sound of his soft exhales. The mind-altering effects of the alcohol had finally left her system, but she still felt completely captivated by this man.

She wished with all her heart that she could lie and say it was just the drinks, but all they had done was give her an excuse to act on the feelings she'd been harboring for years. She'd even hoped that by indulging herself in her fantasies, all her feelings towards Soma would go away, much like she dealt with her cravings for sweets! If only it were that simple. Cravings were easily satisfied and variable.

Unlike a craving, Erina felt certain that she would never get enough of him. Their late-night conversations, his random appearances at her office, working together during council meetings- every interaction with the cocky redhead was the highlight of her day, and he always left her yearning for the next. Unlike a craving, her need for him never ebbed and flowed; it was a steady stream of wanting. He had somehow snuck his way into her heart and become a permanent fixture without her even realizing. _Stupid Yukihira!_

She rubbed her face in apprehension and thought tensely, _what do I do?_

She decidedly agreed that her first step should be leaving, because she had no idea what she would do if Soma woke up. Despite what he'd said last night about not making it awkward, there was no graceful way out of this situation. She couldn't even imagine how uncomfortable the rest of this vacation would be, let alone the rest of the school year!

Erina stealthily crept out of the bed and gathered her things as best as she could in the dark, groping around randomly for her clothes and shoes. She saw a phone on the coffee table and checked to see if it was hers, but she did a double take when she saw a missed call and drunk text from an unknown number.

 **Unknown ID [2:37 AM]**

 _Heyy y, where'd u go? i thought we cojld hang out some more ;)_

Erina had to breathe deeply several times in order to resist deleting the message, throwing the phone out the window, and smothering Soma with a pillow in his sleep. She forced herself to think rationally. He didn't ask for this. He had been with her all night instead.

Her jealousy was replaced with a slight sense of pride at being the girl who had managed to steal him, and she marked the message as unread so Soma wouldn't know she'd been accidentally snooping.

Ugh, but where was her phone?! _Oh yeah!_ She remembered in frustration that she'd left in phone in her purse, which was in Zenji's room!

* * *

She crept down the hallway and noticed with delight that the door was ajar, thanking her lucky stars she wouldn't have to knock and wake him up. The door swung open, and the sight before Erina's eyes made her eyes nearly fall out of her head.

The room was several times more disheveled than Soma's, and nearly everyone was still there, passed out. There were only a few inches of uncovered space that Erina could walk on, and she giggled silently seeing how everyone ended up. Zenji, Ikumi, and Allie had fallen asleep in the bathtub, squished together uncomfortably in ways Erina was sure would cause neck problems when they woke up. Daigo and Shoji were cuddling on the couch, Yuki was curled up on a chair, and lo and behold, Alice and Ryo were snuggling on the bed.

Erina grinned. _This is too good._

She carefully searched through the room without waking anyone, and finally found her bag where she had left it on the table. Before she left though, she couldn't resist taking a quick photo of Alice and Ryo, just in case she needed ammo for the next thing her cousin planned to lord over her head.

* * *

Back in her own suite, Erina treated herself to a long shower. The events from last night were taking over her brain once again, and she couldn't help but ruminate over what it had meant, not just to her, but to Soma as well. Part of her was over the moon; she'd finally figured out her feelings towards the redhead, and it was everything she'd imagined true love felt like. It wasn't unfamiliar or stiff like her date with Brad had been; it was warm and passionate, like fireworks!

A smaller part of her, however, couldn't help but feel dirty and embarrassed, and she scrubbed her skin hard, as if to rid herself of those memories. She knew that she was 18, and that there was nothing wrong with what had happened, but the sheltered and innocent princess within her couldn't help but blush at the memories… After all, anything that fun had to be immoral.

Worst of all though, Erina felt that their more lascivious moments were tame in comparison to when they had been on the loving side. She could easily defend lustful actions, but how could she explain why Soma had sweetly kissed the tips of her fingers while she giggled, or the way he'd stroked her hair with all the tenderness in the world?

His words came back to the forefront of her mind.

 _"You have no idea how long I've wanted this."_

He'd wanted her for a long time, but as a girlfriend or a conquest? In the heat of the moment, she couldn't be sure which, and she certainly wouldn't confess her own feelings before knowing without a shadow of a doubt how Soma felt.

The hard pattering of water against her skin brought her back to reality, and she quickly finished showering and headed down to breakfast, bracing herself for the possibility of running into him.

 _I can't avoid him forever. I suppose I'll find out soon enough._

* * *

"Shame… shame… shame," Hisako seemed to be muttering to herself at a table alone in the dining area that morning. The dark circles under her eyes and pale skin were noticeable proof of the hangover she was currently nursing, and Erina approached her with similar symptoms.

"Good morning, Hisako," she said, nearly making her assistant jump out of her own skin.

"Ah, Erina! G-good morning!" Hisako exclaimed in surprise, apparently not seeing anything past her own plate of dry toast and green tea.

Erina was about to ask, "How did you sleep?" when she realized, she didn't even know _where_ Hisako had slept. She had been so preoccupied over her own thoughts she hadn't noticed their room had been completely empty in the morning. Alice slept in Zenji's room, but where had Hisako been? "Where were you last night?"

"I, uh, went out for a walk!" Hisako said, quite frazzled.

Erina cocked an eyebrow suspiciously. "What? All night? We're in a ski town and it's freezing outside…"

Hisako shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "I wore a coat. Don't worry, Erina, I'm okay! Did you sleep well?"

Erina felt her heartbeat quicken nervously before realizing once again, their room had been empty all night. Now no one had to know her dirty little secret! She quickly lied, "Yes, I, uh, went to bed early!"

Before long, members from the party had shuffled into the restaurant like zombies.

Alice and Ryo joined the girls and dropped down at their table silently, and Alice seemed to mirror her aide in personality, only offering short replies or mumbles as the morning went on.

"You're really hungover, aren't you?" Erina inquired, not remembering a time Alice had ever been this quiet.

Alice's ruby eyes lacked their usual sparkle and she muttered, "I ordered like 4 bottles of champagne from room service on a whim and we finished them all. Grandfather's going to kill me when he gets the bill. You're lucky you left when you did, or you'd be feeling as shitty as I do."

Ryo said vacantly, "We're not doing anything today, right, milady?"

Alice grunted something resembling a negative and the two continued sipping their drinks in silence. Ryo suddenly looked up over Erina's shoulder though and nodded, "Sup."

"Yo, what's up guys," Soma's less-than-cheerful voice hung in the air, and Erina felt her breath catch in her lungs. _Oh my god, he's here._

He pulled up a chair next to Erina and nonchalantly took a sip of her coffee. She frowned but said nothing. Their hangovers were too much at the moment and she couldn't spare the energy it would take to scold him. "What're we doing today?"

The table collectively grumbled, "Recovering."

Megumi brought out some food for them (unfortunately she was on breakfast duty), and it was just what they needed to settle their stomachs. As they ate and recuperated, Akira walked into the dining hall and joined their little party. He greeted each of them cordially, but upon making eye contact with Hisako, the pink-haired girl instantly got up and announced quietly, "I'm actually going to go back to the room and nap a little." She scurried out as quickly as she could, and as abruptly as he'd sat down, Akira immediately got up out of his chair and sauntered off behind her without a word.

Everyone looked at each other in confusion. "What was that about?"

Alice shrugged, "Who knows? They were hanging out a lot last night. Maybe they got into a fight." She turned to Ryo and whined, "Ryo, carry me to my suite. I'm so tired I can't even walk."

Her gruff aide nodded dutifully and collected the tiny girl in his arms, indifferent to the stares of the other restaurant patrons. "See you guys later."

That left Soma and Erina.

She'd eyed him nervously as he picked at the food on his plate throughout the rest of breakfast. Even when he offered to walk her back to her room, he made no moves to start _the conversation_ and she huffed impatiently to herself. _Fine! I guess I'll have to be the mature one!_

Erina murmured shyly as they walked, "So… about last night."

Soma cocked an eyebrow. "What about it?"

She gave him an exasperated look. "Are we going to talk about it?"

He stared blankly and said, "I literally don't know what you're talking about. I think I blacked out after I got back to Marui's room from the hot tub."

Erina's jaw dropped. She brought a hand to her forehead and reiterated in disbelief, "You blacked out? Are you serious? You were acting fine!"

Soma shrugged, "You can still blackout and act normal. I've done it before."

She shook her head and confirmed aggressively, "So, you don't remember anything that happened last night?"

He sighed deeply, looked into her eyes, and burst out laughing. "I'm just messin' with ya. Of course I remember. I just thought it would be funny to do the same thing you planned to do to me."

Erina nearly choked him on site but it would've been much too taxing given her current state. She exclaimed frustratedly, "You idiot! How could you do that to me?"

Soma argued, "You were going to do that to me!"

She tried her best to pout, but the sly look on Soma's face was too much and the curve of her mouth turned upwards into a begrudging smile. "Whatever. So you do remember?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I remember everything. I had a lot of fun."

She blushed and mumbled under her breath, "I suppose I did too."

They'd stopped outside her door. "We should do it again sometime," Soma proposed as casually as if he were inviting her to the movies.

Erina stared at him like he had three heads and sputtered, "W-we can't! It was a one-time thing and that was it. You know what, I'm pretty sure our drinks were laced with something else; something illegal! Remind me to speak to Yuki about this."

Soma grinned and reached out for her hand, intertwining their fingers. He said softly, "You just admitted you had fun, Nakiri. What's the harm? I thought you were 'throwing away the plan' for the rest of your time here."

Erina bit her lip in conflict. She had said that. And really, what was the harm of some casual fun between friends?

"We'll see," she murmured demurely, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing how badly she wanted to feel his lips pressed against hers.

The redhead smiled and leaned forward, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen back behind her ear. He whispered in her ear, "Looking forward to it," and planted a soft kiss on her cheek before winking and strolling off down the hall. As soon as he was out of sight, Erina's legs gave way. She slid weakly down to the floor.

What was that thing Alice had said before? Oh yeah...

 _What happens in the mountains, stays in the mountains..._


	10. Chapter 10

Hours later, Erina, Hisako, and Alice found themselves down in the luxurious resort spa. The girls had forgoed skiing for the day (Brad was quite understanding as he'd seen the damage firsthand the night before), and instead they decided to treat themselves to the full package: steam room, mud bath, salt scrub, seaweed body wrap, facial, and finally, an hour-long massage. As they waited for their masseuses to arrive, they were lulled into a soft trance by the peaceful music, fragrant incense, and softly lit candles. The tranquil environment was much needed after the sleepless night all three girls experienced.

Alice twisted her neck to the side on the massage table to face her friends. "We should've been doing this everyday!"

"Mmhmm," the girls purred in agreement, practically asleep after all their pampering.

"I've got this kink in my neck from sleeping in a weird position last night, so I seriously need this massage."

Erina murmured, "I slept like a baby." Well, the hours she actually slept were very restful.

Alice commented innocuously, "Hishoko, where did you say you slept? It was somewhere funny right? Like a park bench or…"

Hisako kept her face in the headrest but said immediately, "Save it, Alice. I'm not telling you."

Alice began to pout for the umpteenth time that day. She really thought she'd gotten her this time! All day, she'd been trying to trick her into confessing the juicy details of the night's escapades! "Aw come on, tell me what happened! Why were you and Hayama acting so weird this morning?!"

"Nothing happened!"

Alice pushed further, "Nuh uh, 'cause when I talked to him, he—"

At this, Hisako fell off the massage table in a panic and gripped Alice's shoulders. She exclaimed with wild eyes, "What?! What did he say?"

Alice and Erina stared in alarm. Hisako never panicked about anything other than her mistress! The silver-haired girl frowned and wriggled out of her grip, saying, "Nothing! I was just going to say he seemed more surly than usual. But now with your reaction I know something happened! Spill!"

Erina certainly wasn't one to push anyone to talk about their feelings, which was why she had let her aide's curious behavior slide that morning; however, something was clearly plaguing her. She murmured shyly, "Hisako, you can tell us if something happened. We're your friends."

Hisako said nothing for a moment, and Alice and Erina had nearly given up on making her talk. Then they heard her whisper, "I made a fool of myself last night. It was after almost everyone had fallen asleep. Erina, you were already gone, and Alice was passed out. We'd left to get some air and somehow ended up in his room."

Erina audibly gasped, but she smiled weakly and waved her hand as if to carry on.

"It wasn't like that!" Hisako assured her, panicked, "We were just talking and hanging out like friends. We've never had that kind of relationship before, and it was a nice change. I guess it was because we were drunk. Mainly me, but still. And then there was this moment where he was looking at me… and I tried to kiss him."

Alice squealed, "Oh my god!"

"But he stopped me."

Their smiles fell instantly.

"Obviously I read the signs wrong. I don't remember a lot after that. But this morning I woke up in his bed and he was sleeping on the couch. I'm guessing I passed out and he let me stay there instead of kicking me out. I have never been more ashamed in my life."

Erina offered sympathetically, "I'm sure it wasn't that bad!"

Alice nodded, "Yeah, Hayama's a total gentleman so I bet he didn't care at all!"

Hisako let her face fall forward into the headrest and said, her voice muffled, "This was more humiliating than losing to him in the Autumn Elections. He probably thinks I'm such a loser."

At that moment, three masseuses came through the door. "Hello," they said soothing voices. "Ready for your massage?"

Brie, Allie, and some other girl they didn't recognize were setting up the massage oils when they recognized their clients. Erina felt her stomach twist in knots at the sight of her new nemesis. The girls greeted them cheerfully though, "Oh, hey! Long time no see!"

As the ladies began their massages, Alice's cheerful voice rang out. "Don't worry, Hishoko. I'll talk to Hayama for you!"

Hisako groaned, "Please do not do that! You're going to make it worse than it already is!"

Alice snorted with laughter, "I'm not sure it can from the way you described it."

"Alice!"

Allie, who was massaging Hisako, murmured, "Whoa, you've got a lot of tension in your back. What are you so stressed about?"

Alice answered for her, "Drunken mistakes from last night."

"Ugh, so jealous. I wish I'd made a drunken mistake last night!" She giggled scandalously, "But seriously that party was so much fun. Partying with guests is always hit and miss, but last night was a total hit! You guys have so many cute guy friends!"

Brie agreed, "Especially that redhead. He's dorky but like, in a sexy way, if that makes sense?" At that moment, she felt Erina's muscles tense under her hands. She remembered how Erina had stolen her opportunity to kiss him during the card game. Was the haughty girl jealous? She smirked, asking innocently, "He's not seeing anyone, is he?"

Erina murmured curtly, "Not that I'm aware of."

"And you and him aren't…"

Erina made a loud sound of offense, shattering Alice and Hisako's dreamy trance. Thankfully her bright red face was hidden down in the headrest, but she still exclaimed much too loudly, "N-no, of course not! I would- he would- WE would never!"

Brie laughed at the girl's sudden outburst and said defensively, "Okay, just checking! I thought maybe there was something going on there since you pounced on him during the game."

Erina's tone dripped with acid as she replied coolly, "Not at all. I merely thought your lips needed a break after all your volunteering from previous rounds."

Brie's fingers halted at the slight dig, but she carried on and said abruptly, "Good! Then I think I'll ask him out before he leaves."

Alice made a sound of hesitation and warned, "You know, Yukihira isn't really the dating type."

"That's fine because neither am I. Just looking for a bit of fun!"

Erina's frown was hidden, but her masseuse could feel it in her muscles. Alice began to object for her sake, but Erina cut her off. "I'm sure you'll have a great time." She wouldn't bring herself down to this stranger's petty passive-aggressive level, even if she couldn't help throwing back a few snide comments here and there.

Brie smiled, "Thanks, I'm sure we will. Hopefully he's free tonight!"

Erina tried her best to enjoy the rest of the massage, but her mind was reeling. _Don't panic, think!_ He had already said she'd made a move on him and he hadn't been too interested. But what if he changed his mind and agreed to go out with her? That was fine, right? She and Soma weren't even dating, so she had no right to tell either of them who they could date. So then why did it feel like a piece of her heart was being torn out?

* * *

 **Alice [5:37 PM]**

 _Put on something cute and come down to the lobby. We're going out to cheer Hishoko up!_

Erina smiled at the gesture. Alice could be a pain sometimes, but she was a good friend. Hisako had been so embarrassed about what had happened, it would be good for them to get out of the hotel for the night and forget their troubles. Erina quickly threw on a figure-hugging sweater dress, tights, and boots. She made her way back down to the lobby expecting to only see her two friends, but she stopped in her tracks at the sight of the _large_ group at the bottom of the stairs.

Worst of all, Hisako was staring at the ground, red-faced, next to an annoyed-looking Hayama. What was going on?

Alice bounced up with Ryo in tow and said, "Finally! Now everyone's here and we can go!"

Erina pulled her by the arm off to the side and whispered, "I thought this was going to be just a girl's night to help Hisako feel better! Why did you invite Hayama?!"

Alice raised a finger and lectured, "I don't think they should be avoiding each other! They need to talk about what happened in order to move past it!"

"Yo, are we gonna go or what?"

Erina cocked her head past her cousin to see Soma standing there with his hands in his pockets looking bored beyond belief. Her eye twitched in irritation, and she felt her stomach flipping just at the sight of him. It was a very curious thing being both attracted to and annoyed by someone. "And why is he here?!"

Alice grinned excitedly. "Because I didn't want Brie to ask him out for tonight! I did it for you! Killing two birds with one stone. You can thank me later," she sang as she flounced back towards the group.

 _I will kill you later!_ Erina thought exasperatedly.

Alice clapped her hands together excitedly and said to the group, "I thought it would be fun to explore the town, so let's get going!"

* * *

The group chattered excitedly as they walked out of the lobby, feeling the crisp night air fill their lungs. Although it was already dark, the bright Christmas lights strung along the buildings and through the trees illuminated the street with a happy glow, and the light sculptures in the parks added an enchanting touch. Wooden booths decorated with jolly red bows were selling food and unique souvenirs for tourists. People were strolling up and down the promenade, laughing and taking in the beautiful sights. The holidays had certainly added a magical charm, and the girls of the group swooned over how romantic the scene before them was.

Megumi linked an arm through Erina's as she looked down the shining street, her eyes glimmering. "Let's have fun tonight, Erina! The town is so pretty!"

"Kinda reminds me of Hokkaido!" Soma said as he looked around the bustling streets.

Hisako agreed. "I wish we'd gotten to spend more time there. It was so lovely."

Takumi commented, "That was a great night, if you don't count the fact that we were fighting for our lives and Central was trying to get us expelled."

Akira said awkwardly, "Sorry about that."

Soma laughed good-naturedly, "We won and that's all that matters. Now we can have a chill night without all that drama. What do ya say we do another food tour of the place?"

The teens nodded excitedly and rushed off to scope out the potential eateries in the area. Soma and Erina decided to visit a stand nearby selling hot apple cider. As they waited in line, Soma turned to Erina and said, "Ya know, I think that night in Hokkaido was the first time we hung out as friends."

Erina blushed and crossed her arms. She said brusquely, "I really don't remember," and turned away so that he wouldn't see her rosy cheeks, but the truth was that was one of the best nights of her life. She recalled how Soma had invited her so casually to join his group to explore as if he hadn't given it a second thought; it wasn't a matter of opinion- it was fact that she belonged to this friend group. She'd never felt so _normal_ , for lack of a better word, in her life, and it had felt so good. That was the same night she'd started seeing Soma not as a classmate or acquaintance, but as a friend. Perhaps that was where her feelings for him had started to blossom…

"Well I do. it was the first time I saw the not-prickly side of you!"

Erina balled up her fists and fumed, "Maybe because you weren't being as annoying as you are now!"

Soma conceded with a shrug, "Yeah, maybe. But just so you know, I had fun getting to know you outside of school. You were different than I thought you'd be."

"How so?"

"I dunno, just happier. You were smiling a lot, and I only noticed because you _never_ smiled before. Except for that one time you thought I was Hishoko and you threw open the door and had that big ass smile on your face-"

Erina playfully swatted at him to hush and she shrugged, "I guess I didn't have much to smile about before."

"Well, I'm glad you do now. You've got a pretty smile."

Erina tried her best to suppress it, but the corner of mouth twitched upwards and she let out an embarrassed giggle at his compliment. That sound... Soma thought he could live off of that sound alone for the rest of his life. Unable to tear his eyes away from the beautiful girl next to him, he found himself lost in the reverie of that night. Their first night as real friends. Probably the night his feelings had resurfaced without him even knowing. He murmured, "Yeah. That was a good night."

She muttered, cheeks still pink, "I suppose you became a little more tolerable as well."

They paid for their drinks, and Soma lifted his foam cup. "Well then let's have a toast - here's to tolerating each other for years to come."

Erina rolled her eyes but tipped her cup against his. "I'll drink to that."

* * *

The friends regrouped with a list of places they needed to check out before the night was over, and the whole gang gladly agreed and took off. Over the next hour, they visited a dozen shops, splitting bowls of steaming ramen, sweet taiyaki, and more! The street food was more delicious than Erina cared to admit, and she enjoyed looking at the little trinkets and kitschy souvenirs hanging from the stalls. For the most part, the night was a success, with most of the teens enjoying the fresh air and fun nightlife. However, it was obvious to everyone that Hisako and Akira were desperate to be anywhere but there. Their sullen faces and awkward interactions were putting a damper on the night, and it was time for Part 2 of Alice's Super Awesome Hishoko/Hayama Love Plan™ to be put in place.

Finally polishing off their bowls of yakisoba from the last booth on their list, their chairs creaked as they sat back in contentment. The teens rubbed their full stomachs with a strange mix of pride and disgust at how they'd managed to hit up every worthy shop on the block. Erina wanted to sit there for the remainder of the night seeing that she truly didn't think she could move. This was more than she ate even when she did multiple tastings in a row! But Alice's pointed look at Soma and Takumi seemed to initiate something, and Erina watched as Takumi extended his arm out to Megumi as if on cue. He asked kindly, "Tadokoro, would you like to continue walking?"

"O-oh, okay, Takumi-kun! Please excuse us," Megumi said to the group as she blushed and took his arm, trying to contain her excitement.

Soma also got up at the same moment. He clapped a hand on Erina's own shoulder and said, "Yo, Nakiri, let's go walk too. Gotta burn off those calories from all that food!"

"Yukihira!" She growled at his insolence but allowed him to drag her down the street away from their friends.

Once they were far enough away from the crowd, Soma said with urgency, "You're gonna be my buddy for tonight."

Erina scoffed, "We're using the buddy system? What are we, four? I'm not a child who needs supervision, especially not by the likes of you."

Soma ignored her quip and asked in confusion, "Alice didn't tell you about the plan?"

"I thought this outing was the plan!"

"That was just the first part! The second part was that we were all eventually gonna split up to leave Hayama and Hishoko alone to talk."

Erina lifted a hand to her forehead in frustration. "I should've known. I was beginning to think this night was far too enjoyable to be one of Alice's plans."

Soma chuckled, "That cousin of yours is pretty terrifying. She wouldn't take no for an answer when she told me to drop everything and come tonight."

Flashes of Brie and Soma together on a date invaded her mind, and Erina asked with her best air of uninterest, "Oh, did you have other plans?"

"Nothing important. I'd rather hang out with you guys!" He gave her a lopsided grin and Erina felt her pulse return to normal. _Typical Yukihira_ , she thought with mixed emotions, _romance is the last thing on his mind._

They continued to walk aimlessly down the twinkling street in silence, a rare occasion for Soma, until Erina commented absentmindedly, "I'm surprised you didn't want to partner with Megumi or Takumi."

Soma smiled mischievously and tapped his index finger against his temple as if praising himself for his wits. "Ah, you noticed! I told Takumi to partner up with Tadokoro instead since she likes him and all! Alice isn't the only one who knows how to meddle."

Erina arched a brow in mild respect. So, he did have somewhat of a brain. She teased dully, "Wow, who knew Soma Yukihira had a romantic side?"

She could've sworn she saw the faintest hint of a blush on his cheeks and he argued, "Oi, I helped you, didn't I?"

"Only because I promised to try one of your disgusting abominations!"

Soma chuckled, "Oh yeah, I guess that's true. And you still owe me that! But for real, helping you out there kinda got me thinking that maybe I should start taking this love stuff more seriously."

Erina's heart sped up a little and she shoved her hands into her coat pocket to avoid fidgeting like the nervous wreck she was. She kept her voice even. "Is that so?"

Soma cleared his throat and said offhandedly, "Yeah. Is it really that hard to believe?"

Erina couldn't help but nod vigorously and say, "Yes! I remember last year when that poor first year confessed her feelings to you and you thought she was just trying to be friendly! God, we laughed about that for weeks." Erina giggled at the memory. At the time she'd been extra irritated upon hearing the rumor, but she hadn't known why. Now she could hit herself for being so obtuse.

The redhead ran a hand through his spiky hair and admitted, "Between you and me, I knew what she was doing. I just didn't know how to respond so I played dumb."

"Really?" Erina asked in astonishment. This was news to her; she'd truly thought he was just as dense as a brick. "You didn't like her back?"

Soma shrugged. "I'm sure she was a nice girl, but I didn't even know her, and I knew that I wasn't looking for anything. I just didn't wanna waste her time."

Erina didn't know what to say. After a moment of awkward silence, she declared with a tone of finality, "Dating in high school is overrated anyways. We're all going to be going our separate ways soon, so there's no point in getting so attached now."

"Was that why you didn't date anyone?"

His golden gaze held her frozen to her spot. Why was he staring at her so intently? It was like he was trying to peer into her soul. She found herself flustered all of a sudden at how the conversation had steered towards her love life, and she tried her best to piece her scattered thoughts together. She sputtered, "I-I don't know. I mean, yes, and the fact that I was busy with all my other work, and the fact that we're in school to LEARN, not fraternize!"

Soma nodded thoughtfully as if he were considering something. "And now that you're basically done with school, you wanted to start dating, which was why you needed my help," he reminded her playfully.

Erina crossed her arms and grumbled self-consciously, "Please, you barely helped!"

A wolfish grin appeared on Soma's face, and he replied amusedly, "How can you say that? I'm pretty sure I went above and beyond with my duties last night, wouldn't ya say?"

The headmistress's face turned as white as the snow on the ground, and she whispered in a deadly calm voice, "If you ever allude to the fact that you have seen me in any condition other than pure and pristine in front of our friends, I will drop-kick you so hard your grandchildren will feel it."

Soma gulped in apprehension and nodded nervously. Damn, she was scary when she wanted to be. He assured her, "Relax, we're so far away from everyone I could shout it and they wouldn't know. And seriously, what are you talking about?! I helped a ton! I'm the one who told you to ask Brad out!" he reminded her, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"But that didn't help! The date was boring! It was nothing like-" Erina froze in embarrassment.

"Nothing like what? How your romance mangas said it'd be like? Jeez, Nakiri," Soma laughed with obvious enjoyment, "I can't control the fact that you picked a dud."

Erina sent him a glare that made everyone within a 10 foot radius shiver, but the boy seemed unfazed. After a moment of careful consideration, he let out an exaggerated groan and took her hand in his. "Fine, if I must."

Erina felt her heart speed up as he began to drag her along the street again, and she shot him a bewildered look.

"A mentor's job is never done, I guess. C'mon, princess, I'm gonna show you what a real date should look like."

* * *

 _Meanwhile…_

Alice was trying her best to stimulate conversation between the remaining four before she pulled out her trump card.

"This is so fun, right?" She giggled, totally unintimidated by the blank stares of her companions. She kicked Ryo under the table to prompt him to agree, but when Akira grunted in pain, she realized she had missed the mark.

He growled, "What was that for?!"

Alice clapped her hands over her mouth, and she apologized, "Sorry, Hayama! I- uh, had a cramp and needed to stretch my legs!"

Never in her life had one of her plans gone so poorly before! Was she losing her touch? Time to kick things up a notch!

She got up hastily from the wooden table and grabbed Ryo by the arm, informing the group, "I wanted to go check out that stall all the way over there, soooo, we're just gonna go. Okay bye!"

Hisako watched in horror as her so-called _friend_ left her with Akira. She murmured to herself, "Unbelievable," as she got up to leave as well. She should've known this was just another game! Akira stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Wait, Arato."

Hisako didn't want to hear it though, and she politely but quickly excused herself and began walking back the long way they came. He caught up to her in only a few strides and spun her around to face him. _Curse his long legs!_

"Would you stop and listen to me?" He urged her, green eyes glowing in the dark.

Hisako avoided his piercing gaze in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," was all she could say in a quiet voice.

"Sorry for what?" he asked in confusion.

"For making last night uncomfortable for you. I was not in my right mind and I should never have acted so shamefully. Can you please just forget what happened?"

Akira took a moment to process her words, and he seemed almost hurt as he asked, "Are you saying it was just a mistake? That it meant nothing?"

She waved her hands up in the air as if she had no idea and admitted, "I don't know."

"Do you always try to kiss people when you're drunk?" he asked with a slight smile.

"No! Of course not!"

"Then no, I can't just forget it happened."

Hisako blinked. She repeated his words to make sure she wasn't crazy. "No…?"

Akira sighed deeply and looked up at the sky as if to plead for courage. "If you hadn't avoided me all day this would've been resolved much sooner, but you did, so here we are. Please listen to me for a second. Arato, when you tried to kiss me last night, you were hammered. And I don't use that term lightly. You told me you'd already thrown up earlier that night."

Hisako's face turned bright pink and she murmured wryly under her breath, "Of course I did."

"You tried to mix all my different teas to make what you called, 'mega tea', took one sip, and then threw it outside, mug and all."

"I vaguely remember that. It was disgusting," she whispered.

"You even drunk-dialed Jun at 3 in the morning to tell her how awesome I was."

"Yeah, okay, I get it! No need to continue!" she begged him in embarrassment and tried to turn away from him again, but he spun her around and cupped her face to make sure she was looking into his eyes. Green and pink met as he stated authoritatively, "Stop trying to run away and listen to me! My point is, you were obviously not yourself last night, so despite every fiber of my being wanting to kiss you, I could not."

 _Wait, what?_

Hisako felt like all the air had been knocked out of her. No, no, no. Obviously she had heard him wrong. This was all too improbable.

All the swirling emotions within her only allowed one word to escape her lips. "Huh?"

Now he had her attention. Akira seemed to get a kick out of her confused expression, because he smiled softly and explained, "I always thought it was easier to just keep myself separated from everyone else. I was already too busy with the Shiomi Seminar and school and taking care of Jun. In fact, my entire life has been taking care of Jun: making sure she waters the plants, or sleeps enough, or documents our research properly. She was technically the adult, but somehow taking care of her became a full-time job. Not that I resented it or anything," he said with a quick shake of his head, "Jun saved my life and it was a debt I was happy to repay. But I didn't think I had room to take care of anything else at the time, especially not a girlfriend."

"And then I met you. You were so strong, loyal, and sensible. It was a refreshing change from most of the people I knew. I watched the way you took care of Nakiri, not only as your mistress but as your best friend. I saw how you balanced that on top of school and your other friendships, and it made me think for once that I could do it too. It made me think that having you as a friend wouldn't be so bad. And when I got to know you more, I saw the parts that you hide from people. Your incredible talent, your kindness, your ambition. Arato, I truly think you are one of the most amazing people I have ever met."

Hisako shook her head in puzzlement. Was she hearing him correctly?

"Getting to spend time with you has been the highlight of this trip, but last night especially changed a lot for me. Hearing you go on a 10-minute drunken rant about the medicinal properties of turmeric was probably the hottest thing I've ever heard. And that dress? That just wasn't fair." He shot her a smirk that made her go weak at the knees, but then his smile faded. "But I felt guilty considering I was the one sending you drinks all night long during that game, and I couldn't shake the feeling that you would regret it in the morning. I could not in good conscious allow our first kiss to be some meaningless act spurred by too many shots of tequila only to be forgotten in the morning. I have too much respect for you to let our first kiss be anything other than absolutely perfect."

He gathered her hands in his, and finally apologized, "Please forgive me for offending you last night. I couldn't bear to think you hated me. At the very least, I would like our relationship to return to how it was."

Hisako considered herself to be a fairly articulate and intelligent person. However, in light of the recent emotional dump truck that had hit her, all she managed to get out was, "So, you… like me?"

Akira let out an uncharacteristically loud laugh but composed himself and summed it all up for her, "Yes, I like you. Is that okay?"

The pink-haired girl nodded dazedly, still uncertain that she hadn't dreamed the whole thing up. "Yeah... Okay."

He left one of her hands in his and cocked his head back toward the busy street. "So, can I please take you out on a proper date now?"

"That would be nice," she smiled back shyly.

As they walked hand in hand back towards the main street, Akira wondered aloud, "Should we let Alice know her plan worked?"

Hisako giggled and rolled her eyes. "Let's make her sweat for a while."

* * *

"This isn't a date," Erina mumbled in embarrassment as they continued walking side by side. Despite how much he wanted to, Soma didn't dare try to hold her hand in case any of their friends were around.

He felt his pride ache a little at her words, but he brushed them off casually, "Yeah, yeah I know. It's a mock-date. I'm just showing you what a date is _supposed_ to be like!"

Erina smirked, "And how would you know?"

Soma shrugged. "Movies? My mom and dad? I don't really know, but it can't be too hard, right? It's just about being with a person you're into. Most of them involve food, but seeing that we ate everything on this street already... hm, I know!"

They passed by a stall selling flowers, and Soma stopped directly in front. "Yo, can I get those right there?" he said to the man tending the stall, and Erina tugged on his sweater. "Yukihira, that really isn't necessary. I don't want you spending money on me."

Soma traded his money for the small but lush bouquet of pink peonies and handed them to his faux-date with a dopey grin. "But you like them, right?"

The blonde remained silent, but the blush on her face was more than telling. Soma smiled softly, "See, totally worth it. Did Brad get you flowers?"

Erina shook her head while stealthily dipping her nose in the bouquet to catch its sweet scent. "No, we just went to lunch."

"Ah, that's just poor manners. Every schmuck on the street knows girls like flowers!" Soma said proudly, finally feeling like he was getting the hang of this romance thing. "He probably doesn't have to seeing that he's like a supermodel, but when you're average like me, ya gotta put in a little extra effort."

Erina clicked her tongue and murmured without thinking, "Oh shut up, you're not average."

Soma's eyebrows flew up his forehead in amazement. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

 _Shit!_ She stammered, "F-Forget I said that!"

"It's too late. I heard it!"

"W-well, you're not that hot!"

"But I'm still some level of hot?"

"Stop confusing me! Why are you making me say such embarrassing things?!"

Soma laughed, "Can't help it! I never get real compliments from you! If you're just giving them out though, I'd prefer one about my cooking."

Erina huffed in displeasure at all his teasing and said, "Unfortunately, my quota has been filled. Check back in a few years and we'll see if you've earned one."

"Just you wait, Nakiri, in a few years you'll be begging to try my food."

"I'd forgotten how absurdly delusional you can be. It's _you_ , who will be begging to try _my_ food, Yukihira!"

"Damn right I will! I've gotta taste and compare with mine!"

"T-that's not what I meant, you idiot!"

At this point, they had reached the end of the street where the booths had ended and the people were sparse.

Soma asked, "Should we turn back around?"

Erina hadn't even realized they'd walked all the way toward the end. "Oh, yes, we should head back. But first," she said nervously, drawing his attention back towards her. "T-thank you for the flowers. I love them."

She was staring at him differently than she usually did, Soma noticed. She was kinda looking at him the way she'd looked at Brad, with innocence and bashfulness. It was weird! Was she feeling alright?

She suddenly got up on her tippy toes and planted a peck on his cheek. It was over in a flash, but Soma could only stare in wonder. It was the kind of small kiss even friends might share, yet it was Soma's new favorite. Why? Because it was their first unprompted, honest moment. No games, no pretending, no liquid courage. Just the truth. And the truth was, that little peck on his check alone had sent his heart soaring. God help him. This girl would be the end of him.

Erina turned away quickly and started heading back towards the street, but not before noticing the red dusting on his cheeks. She felt slightly victorious at finally being the one to fluster him, and she called out a little more flirtatiously than she would normally, "You coming?"

* * *

Every once in a while, Erina would pull Soma in another direction as they walked back down the street to check out a leather handbag or custom earrings, and he happily obliged. As long as she was happy, he was happy. "So, on a normal date I'd ask you about your hopes and dreams and stuff. But I think I already know all of those," Soma said as she tried on a few scarves.

Erina corrected him without a moment's hesitation, "This isn't a date, and I guess we all have the same dreams, right? Stand at the pinnacle of the cooking world, obtain perfection through our ingredients, and so forth. You wouldn't make it at Tōtsuki if you didn't have those dreams."

Soma nodded, "I guess that's true. Hm, then what are your plans after graduation?"

She said with certainty, "I'm going to open my restaurant."

"Really? So soon?"

"There's no point in putting it off. I've honed my skills to perfection over the past few years and I refuse to work in someone else's kitchen."

Soma laughed, "Typical Nakiri. Well I can't wait to try it someday. I know it'll be amazing. Everything you do is."

Her heart fluttered at the casual compliment and she shoved the butterflies down. She could already see herself reserving a seat for him every night the way she used to with his dad, patiently waiting for the day he'd barge in without a reservation after being gone for months. Worst of all? She'd just drop everything to serve him, and there was nothing she could do about it. What were these Yukihira men doing to her?

She pushed these pathetic thoughts to the back of her mind, asking, "What are you going to do? Go back and run Yukihira?"

Soma rubbed the back of his neck, clearly conflicted. "I don't really know. That was always the goal, but now I feel like I've gotta do my own thing. Maybe I'll travel for a bit like my old man did."

Erina smirked and reiterated in amusement, "So, to do your own thing, you're going to follow in your father's footsteps."

"Listen I didn't say it was a perfect plan," he frowned. "I just don't know yet. But I'll figure it out! Don't you worry about me, Nakiri!"

She giggled, "Who said I was worried? If anyone would make it, it would be you."

"You really think that?" Soma asked incredulously.

"Yes. You're like a cockroach. Incredibly difficult to kill."

Soma narrowed his eyes and laughed sarcastically, earning another glorious giggle from Erina.

"Still," she whispered, not meeting his eyes, "It'll be weird not seeing you everyday. I'll miss you. Even with that dogged attitude and unbreakable confidence that drive me _insane_ most of the time."

This time, he didn't care that someone might see. He wrapped his arms around her without thinking twice, pulling her in for a tight hug. His head rested on hers, and he murmured into her hair, "I'll miss you too, Nakiri. More than you know."

He felt her arms wrap around his torso hesitantly before squeezing him back. They stayed like that for a while, wanting to stay frozen for the little time they had left. It was a fact that after graduation nearly everyone split off around the world. Why would they be any different?

She hastily broke apart after remembering where they were, and she cleared her throat. "Blue or purple?"

"Huh?" He asked in confusion, still dazed from the moment they'd shared.

She lifted two scarves in front of his face. "Blue or purple?"

"Purple," he commented after a moment, "It'll bring out your eyes."

* * *

They had made a couple laps around the town, not wanting the night to end, before eventually ending up back at the hotel. Soma walked Erina back to her penthouse suite, citing that a true gentleman always walked a lady home, and they stopped in front of her door.

"Did you have fun tonight?"

She nodded shyly, "I did. Thank you for the 'mock date', Yukihira."

"You know, this is the part where I would try to kiss you," Soma said cheekily.

Erina blushed, and in an effort to appear uninterested, she said, "Well, I don't know if I'd let you kiss me on the first date!"

Soma opened his mouth to make a crude comment about how they'd done much more on much less, but at that moment, Alice swung their door open. She peered at the two in confusion and said, "Oh, sorry, I just heard voices and I thought you were Hishoko. She's still not back and Ryo confirmed Hayama isn't either!"

Soma and Erina's faces couldn't contain their surprise, and they congratulated Alice on her successful plan. "I did not think that was going to work," Erina laughed doubtfully.

Alice puffed her cheeks out in annoyance, "You never believe in me, Erina! Seriously, you should have more faith. Anyways, I didn't mean to interrupt so just carry on." She gave the two a Cheshire-cat smile before closing the door.

Soma gave Erina a knowing look and whispered awkwardly, "Uh, did you tell her?"

Erina crossed her arms in annoyance. "No, she's just eerily perceptive when it comes to relationships."

 _Relationships._ Soma couldn't help but wonder about their own complicated one _._ Did she consider them to have one? Not as friends obviously, but more?

He decided to play it safe and said, "Anyways, I guess I'll get going. I hope tonight was educational for you. My hands-on lessons are world-renowned, so you should feel pretty special! In fact, you're lucky I'm not charging more for these," he teased. He turned around to go and called out over his shoulder, "Have a good night, Nakiri."

"Wait, Yukihira..."

She whirled him around to face her, and at once, he felt her soft lips pressed against his and her arms tossed around his neck bringing him down to meet her. Unlike every other kiss thus far which had been heated and desperate, this one was lazy and relaxed; it was as if she wanted to savor every moment before it inevitably came to an end. He breathed into her, wrapping her in his arms and walking her back until she was pressed against the hotel door. They kissed slowly and sleepily, taking their time to feel each gentle brush of their lips against the other's. Finally, they broke apart after what seemed like ages.

"I thought you didn't kiss on the first date," Soma murmured, his forehead still resting lightly against hers.

"Well, since this wasn't _technically_ a real date..." she teased, her voice shaky from her shallow breaths, "... I made an exception."


	11. Chapter 11

The following morning, Erina found herself pacing the hallway in front of Soma's room. For 20 minutes, she'd been casually strolling by the hotel's restaurant, through the employee's quarters, and all the way to the pool, inevitably repeating the circle again when she couldn't find him. She'd hoped to catch sight of him now that the breakfast shift had ended, but where was he?

She fiddled with the deck of cards in her hands and internally groaned. The aching pain that had settled in her heart was getting worse. It had mysteriously started as soon as she'd said goodbye to Soma last night. It felt like a piece of her had been torn out, and the high that she'd been riding all evening had suddenly left her. At first, she thought she was having a panic attack, and she didn't understand the forceful wave of sadness that had struck her. After a quick Google search, she learned her heartache could be one of two options: she was dying (per WebMD), or she was missing someone she loved. She really wasn't sure which was worse.

Erina had missed people before obviously; Alice when she went to Denmark, Hisako when she went on family vacations, hell, she even missed her mother and father when they had left her as a child. However, nothing could ever have prepared her for this. This was missing someone on a whole new level. It was ridiculous! How did anyone function with this constant dull aching in the center of their body?! And would it always feel this way? How was she to go on living her life once they graduated and he was thousands of miles away traipsing around foreign countries?

"Yo, Nakiri, what're you doing here?" Soma appeared out of thin air, breaking Erina's train of thought.

The sight of him immediately dispelled the darkness that had been looming in her heart, and she felt like she could finally breathe again. Unfortunately, this confirmed her suspicion. _Fuck. It is definitely him._

Despite the happiness that filled her, she snapped, "Where have you been? Didn't your shift end almost half an hour ago?"

"Yeah, but then Takumi was pissed we hadn't skied at all and he went on this weird rant about our friendship and rivalry and said I wasn't paying enough attention to him? I don't know, one thing led to another, and we ended up having a Shokugeki! It was pretty close too but I got him in the end! You should've been there!"

Erina smiled at the look of dreamy satisfaction on his face as he recalled the thrilling match. Nothing excited him like pushing the boundaries of cooking. "Maybe next time. Don't think I'm going to go easy on you just because of our _situation_ though," she said with a red face.

"Hey, I know that! I wouldn't want to win any other way! But I know you're not just here to talk about my Shokugeki," he said as he swiped his keycard. They entered the room and he asked, "What's up, Nakiri? Don't tell me you missed me already?"

He could read her like a book! She held up the cards and exclaimed hastily, "You wish! I'm just bored because Hisako is with Hayama and Alice is skiing. So, I was wondering if you wanted to play a game or two before my skiing lessons?"

Soma felt his jealousy stir. He didn't want Erina spending any more time with this guy who she had previously expressed interest in. "Why're you still doing that?"

Erina shot him a baffled look. "Because we have our skiing competition at the end of the week! Don't tell me I trained for nothing!"

"Eh, we don't really have to do that," Soma said indifferently.

"You're not getting out of it that easily, Yukihira! I am proving once and for all that I am superior to you in every way!"

"Ah c'mon Nakiri, I just wanted an excuse to mess with you."

She sniffed, "Not my problem. A promise is a promise."

Soma laughed but agreed to the competition as initially stated. He couldn't shake the feeling of jealousy as he thought of Brad spending time with her, but there was little he could do there. He would just have to trust that their connection was stronger than her and Brad's.

He pulled out an extra keycard from his wallet and handed it to her. "Oh, before I forget," he offered, "I have an extra. In case you're ever stuck waiting for me again you can just let yourself in."

Erina blanched. She could never just barge into his room! She shook her head, saying, "I won't need this!"

Soma shrugged and tucked it in her back pocket, grinning at the flustered look on her face. "Eh, who knows? Keep it anyways."

* * *

As they played and talked, Erina could literally feel her heart becoming lighter. Just being in his presence made her feel like a child again: carefree, curious, and determined. It was so easy to laugh and be herself around him because he didn't care how she acted as long as she was true to herself.

They played a few rounds of poker, betting random things. Erina had won once, earning Soma's promise that he would complete his and Erina's paperwork by the time of the next council meeting. Soma had won twice: Erina now had to vote in favor of Soma's proposal to build a pool at the PSD, and she had to put one of his original recipes on the menu at her future restaurant.

She particularly hated this last one. As if she needed another reminder of him every day! She complained, "How do I know your recipe will be worthy enough to be on my menu? My restaurant will be the height of gourmet food, not casual diner food!"

Soma gaped at her. "C'mon, you've just gotta trust me. By the time you're opening your restaurant I'll definitely have made you say delicious with something original, and that'll be the dish you put on your menu. Erina Nakiri approved!"

She shook her head but let out a soft laugh at his confidence. His promise to her was always in the back of his mind, wasn't it? She asked shyly, "Will you come by to train the staff on how to prepare it?"

"Duh, I'm not gonna let them mess up the most important dish I've ever made."

She conceded quietly, "Fine. I will allow you to put only that dish on my menu then. You should come by periodically to make sure it's up to your standards. You know, for quality assurance purposes." She didn't meet his eyes when she said this, but Soma smiled. It was her own way of saying he'd better visit, and he fully intended to whenever he had the chance.

"For sure. Got time for one more round?"

She looked at the clock and nodded. As Soma dealt the cards, she began nervously, "Yukihira, I wanted to ask you something. Yesterday when you said you didn't have important plans…"

Soma cocked an eyebrow in interest, and she forced the words out. "Were you going to meet with Brie?"

He froze, then chuckled awkwardly, "Uh, how'd you know about that?"

She murmured, "She mentioned something to me earlier that morning."

He shrugged as he drew a new card, "Kinda. She wanted me to teach her how to cook so I told her we could meet in the kitchens if I had time, but then Alice's plan came up so I cancelled."

Erina stiffened at this news. "You know you didn't have to come with us. You could have gone with her if you wanted."

Soma didn't know how to explain he'd rather be with her than anywhere else without admitting he was in love with her. He shifted in his seat slightly and said, "But I wanted to go with you guys. The whole point of this vacation was to hang out as a group! I wasn't gonna ditch just for her."

Erina eyed him suspiciously before sighing, "I don't understand you, Yukihira."

"Hm? What's not to get?" He offered an innocent smile and drew the final card.

She admitted uneasily, "One minute you're talking about taking 'this love thing' more seriously, and the next you're turning down a date from a girl who has shown interest in you."

He didn't even look at the deck in his hands when he said with complete confidence, "Don't worry about it. I know what I'm doing. I'm all in, Nakiri."

In what though? Just the game? Why was he looking at her like that?! She stuttered, "W-well, me too!"

"Hm…" Soma leaned in playfully to scrutinize her face. She blushed under his thorough examination, and Soma finally teased, "You're bluffing…"

She was, but there was no way he should know that! She lied confidently, "You really think so?"

"We'll find out, won't we?" Soma laughed. He laid his cards flat on the bed. "Two pair," he said smugly.

She sighed and threw her cards down on the bed. "One pair," she said flatly. Erina began gathering the cards back in their box. "I should probably get going. I told you I have my skiing lesson in a bit."

Soma chuckled, "Whoa, so soon? We haven't even discussed the terms of my win!"

Her icy stare only made him grin wider and he said, "As my prize I want you to skip the lesson and hang out with me today."

Erina said, "But I can't skip. I already told him I'd be there and as much as I hate to admit it, I need to practice."

Soma threw his hands up and said arrogantly, "Listen, Nakiri, no amount of skiing lessons is gonna let you beat me so you might as well forget it."

She poked a finger into his chest and scoffed, "You're just afraid I'll actually win!"

He lifted her hand up from his chest and brought it to his lips, kissing it sweetly like a gentleman. The uncharacteristically gentle move threw her off, and he said in a soft voice, "Think about it. Do you really wanna go all the way up there in the freezing cold and workout when you could stay here instead?

Erina paused to think for a moment, but suddenly he pulled her with that same hand, and she toppled onto him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, "Isn't this so much better?"

Erina looked outside at the swirling snow and shivered involuntarily. She could engage in a grueling hour-long session of falling on her ass over and over, or she could stay here bundled up in a cute boy's arms. This was a much better use of her time than skiing, she thought decidedly. She allowed herself to sink further into his arms and finally said, "I guess I can afford to miss one class…"

* * *

A few minutes later, a knock at the door interrupted their private moment. Soma whispered between lazy kisses, "Ignore it."

Erina nodded, barely registering anything outside of their immediate bubble. In a flash, they forgot all about the person at the door as their hands and lips wandered.

The knock came again however, this time more firmly, and Shun's quiet voice came through the door. "Yukihira, we gotta go."

Soma answered distractedly, "I had my shift this morning. I'm done for the day!"

Erina, also annoyed at the interruption, pulled him back towards her by the collar to make sure his lips were moving onto more important things. Shun called out again, "I know, but the manager sent out an email to all of us. He has an important announcement and we need to meet him in 5 minutes."

The pair pulled away in frustration, and Soma muttered, "Be right there."

Erina sighed, "I guess I will have time to go skiing after all."

 _This better be the most important announcement to ever have been made at this hotel_ , Soma thought irritably.

* * *

Mr. Sato was a tall man with a thin black mustache who rarely wore a smile. He ran his upscale hotel with meticulous care, and no detail was too small when it came to pleasing his guests. And while he truly loved his hotel and employees, his main motive was money, which was why he was now grinning from ear to ear like a lunatic.

"Is everyone here?" The manager called out after the chefs had been assembled in the breakroom. The group nodded and he continued with obvious glee, "I have very exciting news to announce for the hotel. As you are all from Tōtsuki, you should be familiar with the Tōtsuki Resort, which has amassed a large group of hotels, resorts, and villas. Well, I just received a call from Mr. Gin Dojima. He and his associates will be coming by _tonight_ to begin discussing the terms of a potential acquisition of this hotel."

The Tōtsuki students clapped politely and congratulated Mr. Sato as he grinned with dollar signs in his eyes. He said, "The reason I collected you all down here was because I had an idea, but I realize it's a little short notice and may be too stressful. I wanted to have a special dinner in honor of him and his associates seeing that you are all from Tōtsuki, but if that's too not enough time-"

He could hardly get the sentence out because his temporary chefs immediately gasped and began talking over each other in excitement. A chance to impress Chef Dojima? Hell yes!

Ikumi said eagerly, "This'll be easy!"

Yuki nodded, "Way easier than the training camp from hell! We have so much time to prepare!"

Megumi squealed, "And fresh food!" She still had nightmares about when Chef Shinomiya had purposely put out old cauliflower to weed out students.

Zenji cheered, "And we actually got to sleep last night!"

Mr. Sato looked at them in fear. Were they torturing those poor kids at that school? "So, that's a yes?"

A resounding _Yes!_ hit him back, and he said with a smile, "Alright! That being said, it's all hands on deck! I apologize for those of you who weren't scheduled for tonight, but I will find a way to compensate you for your additional hard work."

As if they needed extra incentive! They were obviously going to go all out for tonight even if they weren't rewarded; any chance to show off to the leading giants in the industry was one they couldn't pass up.

Ryoko asked, "How many guests will he be bringing?"

Megumi added, "Any dietary restrictions?"

One by one the chefs yelled their questions towards their manager and finally he collapsed, saying wearily, "It's all going to be in an email later today! My goodness, even my professional chefs aren't so attentive to detail."

Soma called out, "Yo, I got one last question for ya! We're doing this on top of the normal dinner for guests?"

The manager nodded, and Soma followed up, "I think we might need a little more help then. But don't worry, I know just the chefs!"

* * *

"Nakiriiiii," Soma sang through the phone which was currently resting on Erina's bed.

"What do you want?" Erina asked impatiently. She had to finish getting dressed to meet Brad at the top of the mountain in 20 minutes!

"I've got a proposition for ya. What are you doing tonight?"

Erina's mind instantly flew to the worst-case scenario and she warned him hastily, "You're on speakerphone, Yukihira. Alice and Hisako are here as well."

"Oh, hi guys!" Soma greeted them, totally ignorant of her fears on the other end. "Guess who's coming to the resort!"

Erina began to speak but Soma cut her off, "I don't have time to wait- I'll just tell ya! Chef Dojima and all his big shot friends are coming tonight! Tōtsuki is thinking of acquiring the hotel and my manager wants us to plan a special dinner for them! So, we've all gotta work tonight to put out the best dinner they've ever had!"

Alice exclaimed with jealousy, "No fair! I want to cook for them too!"

Hisako said nothing but she also wanted to cook! Impressing Chef Dojima was a sure-fire way to make connections in the cooking world and have a job lined up after graduation.

Soma chuckled mischievously, "That's great to hear, 'cause I kinda already signed you guys up to help."

Erina exclaimed, "You did what?"

"Yeah so you guys should get down here ASAP since we're already prepping the menu. Damn, I guess that means you can't go to your skiing lesson! Tell Brad I say sorry!"

Erina could've sworn she could see the stupid grin on his face, but she sighed and said in a clipped voice, "Fine, we'll be there soon. You owe us."

* * *

 _Later that evening…_

The small kitchen was unprepared for the number of chefs currently bustling within it, but it was a necessary precaution when it came to impressing the Head Chef of a world-renowned institute! On top of the stress of making dinner for the previous second chair of Tōtsuki and his important associates, the usual dinner crowd was particularly busy since it was a Friday night. The sounds of sizzling, frying, and clattering pots and pans were getting the chefs' engines going, and the students who hadn't been cooking all break were excited to be back in the kitchen.

"Behind you," Akira warned as he crossed the kitchen with a burning hot pan, while Takumi called out, "2 out on the filet mignon."

"We're out of the risotto," Yuki advised as she sauteed some mushrooms.

"Use polenta! It's in the backroom!" replied Ryoko.

Their manager carefully weaved through the busy teens and found Soma and Erina. "Yukihira, Nakiri-san— Mr. Dojima would like to speak with you once you're okay to leave your stations."

They finished plating their dishes and went out to greet their old mentor. Soma received him with a huge smile and shook his hand. "Yo, how's it going, Chef Dojima? We didn't expect to see you here! Hope you're enjoying your appetizers so far!"

Erina smiled politely, "Hello, Chef Dojima. It's a pleasure to see you again."

Gin said, "It's great to see you both as well. How has your final year been treating you? Any job offers?"

Soma and Erina both nodded and filled him in on the myriad of offers they'd received ever since their second year. Gin laughed, "As to be expected of the top two chefs at Tōtsuki. If I'm being honest, I came here with the hopes of persuading you two to join my staff as well."

Soma cocked his head in confusion, "Huh? You bought the hotel just to come talk to us?"

Gin assured him, "Well, this hotel was on our radar for some time, but when I found out you two were here, I felt like it was the perfect opportunity to begin negotiations."

Soma laughed, "Geez, seems like a ton of work just to meet with us! You could've just called!"

"I did call. Multiple times. You never answer your phone or emails, Yukihira." _Just like his father,_ Gin thought as a vein popped out of his forehead.

"Oh. Sorry about that! Guess you were right to come to us!" Soma laughed obnoxiously while Erina and Gin stared daggers.

"Anyways," Gin cleared his throat, "I want you two working on the main course if that's alright. I'd like to see how much your skill has grown since the last time I saw you."

The fire in their eyes was evident, and Soma and Erina nodded and hustled back to the kitchen.

"I can take it from here, Nakiri!" Soma said confidently.

"As if! I will be the head chef and you will be my sous chef!" Erina retorted in offense.

They argued for at least 5 minutes straight before both were ready to bang their heads against the wall. Arguing over who would be #1 was no use. No matter what they did, they both needed to be first. "Alright, fine, how about we're both head chefs?" Soma suggested with a shrug. "Regiment de Cuisine style. You remember the training we did with my dad and Chef Dojima on the train?"

She nodded, already following his line of thinking. "Let's get started."

* * *

Everyone in the kitchen had cleared out except Soma and Erina. The night was a brilliant success; Chef Dojima and his company loved the improvised style of cooking the pair had managed, and the rest of the chefs had managed to copy the recipe and serve it as the special for that night. Their group of friends had left to celebrate their successful night in Zenji's room again, but Soma wasn't ready to leave. The kitchen would always be his home. He leaned back against the counter and swiped his finger inside a bowl of leftover whipped cream, licking it clean. "Tonight went pretty well," he commented.

Erina teased as she cleaned her station, "You're so lucky I was here to help you. Who knows what would've happened had you been left to your own devices?"

"Please, I totally could've served that main dish without you!"

"Without me, your dish would've been a mishmash of unpresentable slop! My addition was the only thing that brought refinement and coherence to main course."

Soma laughed, stealing another dollop of whipped cream from the bowl. "You are so full of it, Nakiri. My dish was awesome on its own, but I will admit yours was a good complement."

"Thank you. Now stop hogging the whipped cream!" She reached for the metal bowl, but Soma pulled it out of her reach, frowning, "I earned it more than you! Get your own bowl!"

"I worked way harder than you!" She panted as she jumped to get it out of his hands, "You were just joking around the whole time!"

Soma had both his hands up purposely keeping it out of reach. One hand reached into the bowl for the final scoop, and as he brought it down, Erina took the chance and pounced.

Soma laughed, "Having fun is part of the process…" but his voice was caught in his throat, because in a completely unprecedented move, Erina had grabbed his finger and swiped it with her tongue, stealing the last bit of dessert.

Soma stared in shock at the bold move, and Erina's face turned as red as fire when she realized what she had done. She didn't have time to be embarrassed though, because Soma swiftly grabbed her face and pulled her towards him, kissing her roughly. His tongue pushed past her lips and teeth and she squealed in surprise, letting him push her backwards until she was pressed against a wall. She could taste the whipped cream on his tongue which was mercilessly teasing hers. It tasted better this way. Her hands grabbed wildly at his chef's jacket while his pulled at the tie in her hair, tangling themselves in her loose locks. She'd never wanted him so badly before, and the feeling was apparently mutual as he pressed into her harder.

"I've been wanting to do this all day," he teased into her ear. "You look so cute in your chef's uniform."

He began peppering her neck with kisses and Erina had to bite her lip to keep quiet but she squirmed beneath him.

Suddenly the clatter of a pan made the two jump, and they directed their attention towards the entrance of the kitchen where Gin was standing there with a bright pink blush on his face, which was a very odd sight for such a large and muscular man.

"Um, excuse me, I should have knocked!" Gin apologized immediately without thinking. _Wait, why would I knock? This is a kitchen!_

Erina was mortified, and she pushed Soma away from her to put as much room between them as possible. Soma merely chuckled, "Uh, sorry you had to see that, Chef Dojima!"

Gin held his hand up as if no apology were needed and he laughed, "I guess Joichiro was right about you two. How long have you been dating?"

Erina said defensively, "We're not dating!" _Shit, that's even worse!_ she thought as soon as the words left her mouth.

Gin raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Instead, he changed the subject. "I just came by to give both of you my card. I was serious about persuading you to join my staff. Tōtsuki has resorts all around the world and you'd have your pick of where to go. It's the kind of opportunity chefs get in the later stages of their careers. Call me if you're interested."

* * *

As they walked back, Soma couldn't help but look at the business card. "This would be a pretty cool opportunity. Traveling all over, working in the fanciest hotels? I wonder what the resorts look like in other countries!"

She said in a small voice, "You're really leaving after we graduate?"

"Yeah, I think so. There's so much I still don't know. I've gotta keep training if I'm going to be the best. You know that!" He smiled, but upon noticing the distant look in her eyes, he tugged at her jacket. "Something wrong?"

She shook her head resignedly, ignoring his gaze. _I'm in love and he's leaving. What could be wrong?_

They were back at his door, but he made no moves to enter his room because behind her emotionless façade, he could see she was feeling troubled. "Nakiri, what's going on?"

 _This is it, isn't it?_

She made up her mind and lifted her chin to look him in the eyes. "Yukihira… I think we should stop this," she said as she motioned weakly between them.

Soma felt like the floor had been pulled out from under him. He didn't bother to hide the hurt and surprise in his voice when he asked, "Why?" Was it because Gin saw them?

Her voice was as cold as ice, but her eyes gave her away. She was blinking back tears, and it pained him to see her so sad. "We have one final term left, and I don't have time to be distracted. I shouldn't have let you sway me into thinking I could lose focus even on vacation." Soma could tell that she was lying, but he didn't know if he wanted to hear the truth. What if it was worse than this?

"I don't understand. I thought we were having a good time. Did I do something?"

Her voice shook slightly this time, betraying her emotions, "You didn't do anything. You were perfectly yourself and I should've known what I was getting into from the beginning. This is my fault." She began walking away, but she turned around to add as an afterthought, "And you should go out with Brie, or whoever you want. This way we can both move on and forget about this. We can go back to how we used to be." She gave him a pitiful smile and he stared at her in confusion.

He hesitantly admitted, "Nakiri, I don't know if I can go back to just being friends."

She held his gaze with all the strength she could muster. Just looking at his crestfallen face was too painful to bear. A small tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly, not wanting to make this harder than it needed to be for either of them.

"Then we won't be anything."

* * *

 **A/N: Don't kill me lol. I promise this is a happy story, but I should warn you that it is almost over! I guess I'm letting the end of the manga get to me; anyone else feel super down now that it's ended? Hope you guys enjoyed this shorter chapter even if there were some sad moments. See you in the next one!**


	12. Chapter 12

Soma was acting recklessly—more recklessly than he had any right to act considering the amount of people who loved and cared for him. He was cutting through tall pine trees and jumping off ledges on the scariest black diamond he could find. Not falling off the mountain took all his concentration, which was exactly what he wanted, because ever since last night, his mind had been taken over by a certain princess.

 _Sharp left!_ A flash of blonde hair swept through his mind.

 _Sharp right!_ Shimmering purple eyes bore into his soul.

The wind that was roaring in his ears did nothing to mask the sound of her laughter but he couldn't think about it now. He didn't have the luxury of thinking about how she had shattered his heart. He had to focus on flying full speed ahead down this mountain, otherwise-

"Shit!" he yelled as he just barely missed colliding with someone. He veered off to the side and finally slowed to a crawl at the base of the slope. _That was close… I've gotta get it together,_ he thought in frustration as his heart hammered in his chest.

* * *

A few hundred feet away, Megumi, Ryoko, and Yuki were resting on the benches outside the small eatery at the base of the mountain where skiers and snowboarders could grab a quick lunch to re-energize before heading back up.

Yuki continued chattering as she took a bite of her banana, "I'm just saying, Marui looked kinda cute this morning when we were on our shift together."

Ryoko giggled, "You've been saying stuff like that ever since you saw him shirtless. Are you sure you don't have a crush on him?

Yuki scoffed, "No way! I'm just appreciating the fact that we have a cutie in our midst!"

Megumi brought her hand to her chin and wondered, "Do you think it's because everyone made fun of him for being so weak during the Training Camp from Hell?"

"I don't know, but whatever it was, thank you!" Yuki called out to the sky as if praising god himself.

Ryoko pointed to something in the distance and said, "Is that Yukihira?" just as she caught sight of him almost crashing into someone.

Megumi immediately got up from the bench and squeaked in fear, "He's going to kill himself! I'm going to go stop him!"

"Do you really think that'll work? When has he ever listened to anyone when it comes to his crazy ideas?"

Megumi gave them an unexpectedly sly smile and said, "Don't worry, I know what to do!"

* * *

"Soma-kun, I didn't realize you were already doing black diamonds!"

Soma looked up as he heard the familiar voice, and he grinned. "Yo, Tadokoro! I didn't know you were out here! And yeah, might as well, right? We're leaving tomorrow and I haven't conquered the mountain yet!"

 _That's Soma-kun for you! Always trying his best in everything even when it's crazy!_ Megumi thought with admiration. "You're so brave! I'm going to try my hardest too!"

Soma gave her a thumbs up. "That's the spirit! Go get 'em!"

She began hustling towards the lift to the black diamond, and Soma stopped her. "Wait, you're not going up the same one I did, right?"

Megumi nodded with false determination, "Yes, I am! I want to prove that I can do it!"

"But you've just been doing the bunny slopes this whole time!"

"W-well, yes, but it's okay! I want to ski with you! And if I fall, I know you'll help me like you always do!"

Soma thought grimly, _I can't help you from falling off the side of a cliff!_ He shook his head and proposed, "How about we do a green together instead?"

Megumi pretended to think about it and finally nodded, "Okay, that sounds like fun too!"

The pair began slowly making their way down the easier slopes while Megumi continued to get the hang of it. She could tell Soma's mind was elsewhere but having a deep conversation while hurdling down a mountain wasn't exactly doable. When they came to the bottom again and Soma pulled out the crumpled map in his pocket to check where they should go next, she finally voiced her concerns. "Is something wrong, Soma-kun? You seem distracted."

He plastered on his signature dopey smile and lied, "Course not! Why would anything be wrong?"

"W-well, for one thing, that map you've been studying is upside down…"

Soma noticed his error and let out a small chuckle. He wrestled with his feelings for a moment before confiding in his best friend. "Eh, caught me there, Tadokoro. I guess I'm having a bit of an issue…"

"Anything I can help with?"

He shuffled awkwardly in the snow before blurting out, "Ever felt like you're not good enough? Or like you're working towards an impossible goal?"

Megumi admitted in embarrassment, "Only all the time. Before you came along, my time at Tōtsuki was running out! It felt like no matter how much I studied and prepared I couldn't overcome my fear. Somehow I don't feel like you're talking about cooking though." The Soma she knew would never be overwhelmed by those challenges.

He shook his head, smiling wearily. "Nah, not really… it's girl problems." He said as he kicked the snow absentmindedly. Suddenly, he looked up at her and said incredulously, "But wait a second, you're a girl!"

Megumi felt like a pan had been dropped over her head. She merely sighed though; this was to be expected from her lovable, but obtuse, best friend. Honestly, it was nothing short of a miracle that he had finally realized his feelings for Erina.

"So, there's this girl, let's call her _Sabrina_ … In the entire span of our friendship she's never shown any interest. In fact, you could say she downright hated me. But lately it's been confusing because she keeps sending me mixed signals."

Megumi couldn't hide the look of surprise on her face. Had Erina finally confessed her feelings to him? "What makes you think she's been showing signs of interest?"

Soma avoided eye contact and rubbed the back of his neck, saying, "A guy can just tell!"

Megumi said awkwardly, "No offense, Soma-kun, but you aren't always the most perceptive when it comes to girls' feelings. Did she say something to you?"

Soma kept his tone casual as he continued looking anywhere but her innocent yellow eyes. "There wasn't a lot of talking involved if you know what I mean…"

The naïve girl immediately gasped and plugged her ears with her fingers. "Soma-kun!"

Soma laughed, "Chill, Tadokoro! It wasn't that bad! Unless you count that one thing…"

"LALALA," she screamed over him while still plugging her ears.

"It's nothing you and Takumi won't be doing soon anyways," he teased, still laughing at her embarrassed state.

"Huh?!" She exclaimed with panic, finally dropping her hands to her sides. "How did you know about that?"

 _Shit._ Soma had forgotten Erina told him not to tell anyone! "Uhh, I could just tell since it's totally obvious." _Good save!_

"WHAT?!" The blue-haired girl passed out in the snow, and Soma dropped to his knees, shaking her awake. "Tadokoro, stay with me! You still haven't given me advice yet!"

She finally woke up after a minute, still anxious from his previous statement, but she put her thinking cap back on. "Um, w-well, if you two are k-kissing, then that must mean she likes you! Wait, you like her too, right?"

Soma nodded, a quiet blush creeping up on his cheeks. "I don't just like her, Tadokoro. I _love_ her. I want to be with her."

"Wow…" she murmured as she observed him thoughtfully. He wore the same look of determination he always did when he was cooking, and Megumi knew he would stop at nothing until he'd reached his goal: Erina. He had finally found the woman he wanted to cook for.

While Megumi had expected some remnants of jealousy to resurface, oddly enough, all she felt was happiness for her friend. It was cathartic to feel nothing but platonic love for the boy she'd been following around like a love-sick puppy for the better part of three years. She vowed to do everything in her power to help him as his friend.

"What did she say when you told her?" she asked with wide eyes.

Soma wavered and his voice raised an octave. "Uhh, I haven't actually told her how I feel yet."

Megumi's jaw dropped. She squeaked, "What?! Neither of you have admitted your feelings to each other? You've just been… doing stuff?!"

Soma defended himself hastily, "Well I thought my feelings were pretty clear! And besides, I'm not gonna confess just for her to laugh in my face and call me an idiot!"

Megumi brought a hand to her face in weariness. "Soma-kun, she would never do that. In fact, I have a creeping suspicion she probably feels the same way. Okay, so let me get this straight. If you love her, and she clearly 'reciprocated', then I don't understand what the issue is."

He shrugged listlessly, "She doesn't want to be with me."

"But you kissed! Of course she does!"

"Last night after the dinner, she told me we should just stay friends. It came out of nowhere. I thought we were both happy with our arrangement."

Megumi said, "Well, this is her first relationship and she's unsure as to where you stand! If neither of you have admitted your feelings or defined what this is, then it's probably very confusing for her! Also, 'Sabrina' is a woman of class and sophistication! Do you really think she would want to be in such a casual relationship with no established boundaries?"

Soma's head was reeling from all the insight. He ran a hand through his spiky hair and conceded, "Maybe. Jeez, you're making me think I really screwed this up, Tadokoro."

She giggled and patted him on the shoulder, "I think you'll be okay. You just need to express yourself. Even if you think your actions are enough, please remember girls need verbal affirmations!"

Soma nodded, "Got it! Thanks for the love lessons, Tadokoro! You ready for me to teach you now?" He nodded back towards the ski lift, itching to get another run in. Megumi agreed and began trekking over in her skis, but as soon as she picked up her foot, she and Soma both went tumbling to the ground! The pair had failed to notice that the entire time they'd been talking, her ski had been trapped under his snowboard!

Soma chuckled, inches away from Megumi's bright red face. "Let's hope Takumi didn't see that, eh?"

Before either of them could get up though, they heard a shriek! They turned their heads just in time to spot a streak of color whizzing past them. The person tried to fall into a controlled slide, a skid of snow flying in all directions, and her skis were thrown off her feet.

Soma quickly got up, helping Megumi as well, before walking over to check on the girl. "Yo, you alright? Looked like a nasty fall!" He offered his hand out in assistance, but the girl swatted it away. She tossed her helmet off causing long golden hair to spill out.

Soma gulped.

"Sabr- Ah, Erina! Are you okay?" Megumi asked as she dropped to her knees to assist her friend.

"I'm fine," she muttered, glaring at Soma while brushing the snow off her clothes.

"You sure?" He asked hesitantly. She seemed to be in a worse mood than usual. Little did he know, she had spotted him from the top of the mountain. Try as she might, she unconsciously began watching him out of the corner of her eye as she skied down. Curse that bright red hair! When she saw that he'd toppled over with Megumi, her feet couldn't help but follow her head, and that was how she'd found herself in a crumple, mere feet away from the man she'd most desperately wanted to avoid.

"Nakiri!" A voice called out from above them. Brad had skied down with ease and was now taking stock of the situation. "What happened back there?"

"I just lost my balance," she said as she stood up. When her right ankle touched the ground, she winced and yelped in pain. Everyone hurried to steady her, and Soma asked, "What's wrong? Did you hurt your leg?"

She tested it gingerly, scowling each time. "I'm fine," she lied through gritted teeth.

Brad shook his head, "You're not fine. You've probably got a sprained ankle. We should get you back down to the hotel."

* * *

The gondola ride back down to the base was awkward. Soma and Erina weren't speaking, the boys couldn't help but feel antagonistic towards each other, and Megumi felt the need to fill the uncomfortable silence by commenting on innocuous things she could see from their vantage point.

"Ah, look another bird!" Megumi prattled on nervously. "This one is bigger than the other one I pointed out!"

"You should really be more careful, Nakiri," Soma couldn't help but say when he noticed how tightly she was gripping her leg in pain.

She huffed, "I was fine! I've done that run dozens of times! I was distracted by something _unseemly_."

Brad said, "It happens. No worries, Nakiri, we'll have you bandaged up and good as new."

Soma was irked at how calm Brad seemed despite the fact that one of his students had gotten hurt. Why hadn't he been by her side when she'd fallen? "This seems like pretty run of the mill stuff for you, Brad. Do most of your students get hurt on your watch?"

Brad narrowed his eyes but said coolly, "I wouldn't say it happens a lot, but it does happen. This is a dangerous sport."

Soma shrugged and leaned back in his seat. "Maybe it's not so much the students and more about the teacher." Megumi and Erina gaped at his open hostility and were all too glad when the gondola touched ground. Erina would have thrown herself off were it not for the fact that she could barely walk. Sandwiching herself between the two men, she used them as crutches to hobble back to the lobby. Once they arrived, Brad immediately offered to take her up to her room.

Soma put a possessive hand on Erina's shoulder and frowned, "I can take her. Shouldn't you be filling some paperwork out saying one of your students got hurt under your supervision?"

He then turned to Megumi. "Can you let Hishoko know she's hurt? She'll probably have more first aid stuff than the front office."

Without warning, Soma picked Erina up bridal style and began carrying her towards the elevators. She shrieked in surprise and locked her arms around his neck to avoid falling, but she still kicked her good leg and protested in his arms. She was really about to give him a piece of her mind, but when he finally made eye contact with her, she found her breath had caught in her throat and she lost her nerve. She felt herself melting as he stared at her with those eyes that blazed like molten gold. She tried not to think about how the way he supported her with his strong grip made her feel safe. She almost felt like this was something out of a fairy tale. _Except the prince doesn't usually kidnap the princess!_

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Brad turned to Megumi and asked, "Are they together or somethin'? Nakiri made it seem like they weren't."

Megumi smiled weakly, "W-well, they're technically not, but their relationship is complicated… Soma-kun is very protective of her."

Brad frowned, "I can see that." He walked away to take care of the paperwork from her injury, and Megumi stared back at the elevator doors. _Good luck, Soma-kun!_

* * *

"Take off your pants."

"What?!"

Soma clarified, "Your snow pants! You don't want to get your bed all dirty!"

Erina's blush deepened as Soma made no signs to turn around. They both knew she had leggings on underneath but it was still inappropriate! She shuffled out of them as discretely as she could while supporting herself with one foot and finally kicked them off. She plopped down on the bed and awaited his next instructions. She didn't know why, since he had no medical training, but for whatever godforsaken reason, she felt safe in his care and trusted him to take charge of the situation.

"Okay, according to google, we have to use R.I.C.E." Soma said as he scrolled through his phone.

Erina exploded, "That's for when you drop your phone in water, not when you have a sprained ankle! Honestly Yukihira do you ever think of anything other than food?!"

Soma chuckled, "Not rice, R.I.C.E! Rest, ice, compression, elevation! Now where does Hishoko keep her first aid stuff?" He looked around the room to find a small bag tucked in the corner of the room. "Is this it?"

Erina shook her head, "Those are her clothes." She pointed towards the large suitcase next to the bag. "That's her first aid equipment."

Soma opened it up and whistled in appreciation at the array of medical and emergency supplies. "She really takes her job of keeping you safe seriously. But what the hell would she ever need a flare gun for?"

Erina giggled despite herself and shrugged, "It's important to be prepared!"

He sat on the edge of the bed and began propping pillows under her ankle, caring for her the way a boyfriend would. She murmured, "You don't have to stay here. Hisako will be here any minute to help me."

"I want to help. It's not like Brad was gonna do anything." He focused all his attention on wrapping her ankle with a compression bandage. "I guess our skiing competition is cancelled for tomorrow, huh?"

Erina insisted, "No, I'll be fine. A minor injury won't stop me from showing you who's truly the better athlete!"

Soma smirked, "Chill, Nakiri, there'll be plenty of times during the school year that you can challenge me to something. I'm not saying you'll win, but still. You just had to push yourself, didn't ya?"

"Perfection has no rest days."

He laughed, "Clearly. I didn't even know you had a lesson scheduled for today. Were you doing these every day?"

She grimaced as the cold ice pack touched her ankle. "No, I had to reschedule because of yesterday's dinner, remember?"

"Oh right. That was fun," Soma commented absentmindedly. At her confused look, he clarified, "The dinner! Cooking together. Not the… the other part."

Erina said uneasily, "Y-yes, that was fun. It felt like old times."

There was an awkward pause as they remembered their less than mutual breakup the night before. Soma exclaimed excitedly, "Oh, I know! We should keep it up when you open your own restaurant!"

"Huh?"

"Like we should do live improv cooking every once in a while! Or we could have Shokugekis! It'd be a huge crowd pleaser!"

Erina laughed, "You're really so desperate to experience public failure?"

Soma smirked, "You know me, I'm a masochist. Seriously, how fun would that be? It'd be like bringing a little bit of Tōtsuki back with us."

"How would that even work? You're not going to be in the country!"

He shrugged, "We'll do it whenever I come back! I'll try to give you like a week's notice so you can prepare since I know you'll need it."

She didn't imagine her elegant restaurant being well-suited for this type of rowdy event, but upon seeing the animated gleam in his eyes and charming smile, she caved as she always did when it came to this boy. At the very least, it was a promise that she would see him again, and that was all she needed. She sat up and flicked her hair over her shoulder, switching effortlessly into her princess persona. "I suppose it could be worthwhile to show my clients the full extent of my talent. I'd be remiss to pass up the opportunity to crush you yet again."

Soma, who was happy their usual banter hadn't been affected by their awkward situation, leaned in playfully, "Who's to say you'll win? You have no idea what I'll be capable of after traveling the world."

She cocked an eyebrow. "While I admit your skills have grown since our first year, who do you think is responsible for that growth? Your mentors? Your friends?"

The underlying tone in her voice suggested otherwise, and Erina grinned as her teasing had its intended effect. The adorably dumb look on Soma's face intensified as he mulled over her words, and she could see him following her train of thought. "You…"

She smiled like a cat who had finally had enough of toying with her prey. "Precisely. Your cooking evolution, which can be marginally attributed to you, is because of me. Had it not been for me, you would have been perfectly content with going back to Yukihira's. You wouldn't have the same drive or ambition you do now, nor the skills to attain those goals. If I were you, I'd be worried about being all on my own without my muse."

"You're right." The words escaped him before he'd even had a chance to think.

Erina stared at him in shock. She had only been messing with him; she didn't actually believe she was the _only_ reason he'd grown as a chef. "Yukihira, I'm only teasing—" she started.

"Come with me." It wasn't a question, but a plea. He took her hands in his and stared into the amethyst eyes that had looked down on him the day they'd met. There was no contempt or disgust in her gaze though, only surprise. She breathed, "What are you talking about?"

"We can travel the world together, exploring new foods and cultures. Nakiri, I—"

The sudden rattling of the doorknob stopped him, and she stole her hands back just in time for Hisako to enter the room looking shaken. "Erina! I'm so glad you're okay! Y-Yukihira, what are you still doing here?"

He looked at Erina and gave her a small smile, hoping it conveyed what needed to be said. "Just making sure she was good until you came."

"Oh. Well that was very kind of you, thank you," she said distractedly as she eyed Erina's ankle, checking his handiwork.

"Yes, th-thank you, Yukihira," Erina added in a small voice.

With that, he picked himself up off the bed and left the room. He murmured to himself, "What are friends for?"

* * *

He was _this close_ to telling her how he really felt! Why was the universe conspiring against him on this vacation? And what would her answer have been to his proposal?

Something else was tugging at the back of his mind. If Erina truly did have feelings for him, there was no way she would suggest they see other people… right?

"Oi, when an ex says they're cool with you dating new people, is that true?" Soma asked Takumi and Megumi as they worked the dinner shift together.

Takumi shrugged as he chopped some potatoes, "Depends on the person I guess."

Megumi quickly but quietly whispered in Takumi's ear that he was talking about Erina, and Takumi dropped his knife and blurted out, "Wait, you're referring to Nakiri? Absolutely not! Do not under any circumstances go out with someone else if she told you to!"

Soma looked baffled. "Why not?!"

"Because girls are beautiful and gentle creatures, but they are incredibly complex! No offense, Tadokoro!" he assured Megumi hurriedly.

She nodded, "Listen to Takumi-kun! The last thing she wants is for you to go out with someone else."

Soma frowned, "That God's Tongue is so annoying. It never lets her say the things she actually wants to say!" This was exactly like how she'd never admit his food was delicious! So fucking frustrating!

A waiter appeared, calling out from the door, "Yukihira, you've got a customer wanting to speak to you! Table 6."

 _Probably paying compliments to the chef!_ Soma thought smugly. He walked up to the table and said a silent _Fuck you_ to the universe upon finding none other than Brie waiting there for him.

"What's up? Come to compliment me on my excellent service tonight?"

She batted her eyelashes and gave him a sweet smile. "Well, yes, and I was hoping to cash in that rain check from the other night. You promised to teach me to cook something!"

Soma hesitated. Both Megumi and Takumi had warned him not to go out with Brie, but this didn't seem like a date! She was just asking him for help with cooking, and he was a chef!

"Uh, okay, you free in a few minutes? My shift's almost over."

She nodded excitedly, "I'll be here! Come get me when you're done."

Soma returned to the kitchen with his tail between his legs, and began, "So, I know you guys said NOT to go out with Brie-"

Takumi and Megumi both groaned and exclaimed, "What did you do?"

"Nothing! I didn't ask her out! Buuuut she wants me to teach her how to cook. I'm just gonna show her a super basic recipe and we'll be done."

"You're playing with fire," Takumi warned him as he went back to his potatoes.

Megumi murmured, "Oh, Soma-kun. I hope you know what you're doing…"

* * *

Meanwhile, Hisako had ordered Erina to stay in bed for the rest of the day. She had provided everything she could possibly need: the number for room-service, extra fluffy pillows, the latest work from her favorite author, and a relaxation CD! Yet despite having everything she could possibly want, she was too restless to lie in bed all day.

Erina changed the channels without bothering to actually see what was on TV. She scrolled through her newsfeed until there was nothing new. She played Solitaire on the bed. _This is so boring!_

Very gently, she got out of bed and tested her ankle. It hurt, but not enough to keep her holed up on the last night in the hotel. But what would she do? Erina had forced Hisako to go out with Hayama because if she had stayed, she was certain the well-meaning girl would have driven her crazy with her worrying. Alice was out with Ryo as usual, claiming she wanted to "paint the town red" before they left.

She could ask Soma to hang out, but no, it was too hard to be friends right now. Especially after his latest idea… What was he thinking, asking her to travel the world with him? Was he actually insane?

Her mind and heart were at odds when it came to trusting the redhead, and she didn't know which part of her would win. Feeling too conflicted, she went to the only place that still made sense to her.

* * *

Erina could hear voices from inside the kitchen, and she pushed the doors open to find Soma and Brie standing over the workstation with a few bowls.

"The trick is not to overmix," Soma was explaining as he coated some shrimp in tempura batter.

Erina cleared her throat to make her presence known. Soma and Brie looked up, and she smiled coldly at both of them. "Getting in a late night snack, Yukihira?"

"Y-yo, Nakiri," Soma greeted her much less confidently than usual. Her piercing stare was literally chilling his bones.

Brie, on the other hand, loved the attention, and she greeted the princess with false sweetness.

Soma could sense the tension in the air, and he explained, "I, uh, was just teaching Brie to make some easy recipes since she asked."

"But we're having such a blast, aren't we?" She asked him as she patted his arm flirtatiously.

Erina sent a glare that shaved ten years off her life, and for the first time since they'd met, Brie felt more than a little intimidated. She'd thought Erina was nothing more than a dainty princess, used to getting her way because she was spoiled. Suddenly though, it was like she was seeing her for the first time: an Empress who wielded more power than she knew what to do with.

Brie muttered, "We were almost done though if you wanted to use the kitchen."

Erina said in a challenging tone, "No, please continue. I didn't mean to interrupt. Yukihira is our top student, after all. You're in good hands."

She backed out of the kitchen and made her way back towards the elevators as quickly as she could with her injured leg. She heard the creak of the restaurant doors swinging open behind her, but she didn't turn around. The last thing she wanted was to see his face. She frantically pushed the up button a million times before it finally took heed of her request, and just as Erina spotted a white bandana waving in her direction to hold the elevator, the doors finally closed.

* * *

Soma returned to the kitchen dejectedly. He apologized to Brie for taking off so suddenly and continued through the motions of preparing the food with minimal interaction. Once it was finished, Brie took a bite and her world exploded with flavor. "Wow," she gushed, "This is incredible! Who knew such an easy dish could be so delicious!" She continued to shower him with praise, but Soma's mind was elsewhere.

"Listen, I gotta head out," he said as he began cleaning up their dishes.

Brie sighed and propped her chin up on her hand as she leaned over the workstation. "You're chasing after her?"

Soma nodded.

"Listen, I know I barely know you, but I think you deserve better. When I asked about you two the other day, she made it pretty clear she didn't have feelings for you."

Soma felt a sharp pain in his heart. _Is that true?_ But he shook his head, trying to convince himself more than her. "Nakiri's always been like that. She says stuff she doesn't mean and never says what she really feels. It drives me crazy but…"

"But you love her."

He nodded again.

Brie took a bite of another crunchy shrimp tempura and rolled her eyes. "Then what are you waiting for? Go get her."

* * *

Erina found herself alone on the hotel rooftop. The usually lively and packed rooftop was now deserted due to the cold, but Erina preferred it this way. She was looking over the edge at the brightly lit street below her. She liked watching the cars drive by and the people walk hand in hand. She liked the way the freezing air numbed her lungs. She liked the way the night sky provided the cover of darkness she needed to cry. But at the first tear that rolled down her cheek, she wiped it away instantly.

 _There's no point in being sad, Erina,_ she scolded herself. _You brought this on yourself. Honestly, what were you thinking?! You knew he was leaving and yet you still got involved. You'll find love again! Albeit, nothing as passionate or real as this was, but who really gets that happy ending?_

Her depressing reflections were interrupted by the sound of the heavy metal door opening on the opposite side of the rooftop.

"Hey."

Her heart lurched. Slowly, she turned around to see Soma staring at her with a dumbfounded look on his face. She asked, "How did you know I was here?"

"I saw the elevator let you off on the top floor. I thought you were in your room, so I knocked and no one answered. Honestly I thought you were just ignoring me. I came out here to get some fresh air."

"I see." She turned back around to look over the edge again. "Shouldn't you be getting back to your date?"

Soma sighed and made his way over to Erina. He leaned against the railing and clarified, "It wasn't a date. I told you I was just teaching her a recipe."

"So you say," she commented sourly.

He looked at her in confusion. "Why are you so pissed? You're the one who broke up with me."

"Wha-? We didn't 'break up' because we were never going out!"

"Okay, so if we were never going out, why are you so mad?!"

"I'm not mad!" she practically screamed.

Soma was beyond irritated. She was doing that thing again where she was lying about her feelings. He couldn't help but raise his voice right back, "Oh that's right, I forgot; this is just your natural state when it comes to me! You're always annoyed when I'm around! I'm telling ya, Nakiri, I don't know what I did to make you hate me so much."

She scoffed and began counting on her fingers, "Hmm, let's see, you're late to everything, you're annoyingly cocky, you lack sophistication and tact..."

Soma smirked, "Is that all?"

She stomped her foot, whirled around to face him, and exclaimed, "No! You're reckless, irresponsible, have no respect for authority…"

Soma laughed heartily and held his arms open as if to welcome her tirade. At least she was being honest! He yelled back, "Let it all out, Nakiri! Don't hold back anything on my account!"

"When have I ever?!" she screamed as she took a step forward.

He mirrored her movements and asked, "If you hate me so much then why did you kiss me?! You shouldn't mess with a guy's mind like that!"

She poked him roughly in the chest and fumed, "That's rich coming from you! You're the one constantly teasing me and making me think you feel things for me when I should know better! You're a no-good womanizer who's planning on leaving the second we graduate!"

Soma shook his head in confusion but continued to yell, "What does me leaving have to do with anything?!"

She ignored him though and continued ranting, completely unaware of her volume and words. At this point she was on a roll and had no intention of stopping. She screamed loud enough for the people down on the street to hear her. "I hate you so much, Yukihira! I hate the way you come to our meetings late and never ever finish your paperwork on time! I hate the way you treat everything so carelessly, even the important things!"

She began pacing in place and running her hands through her hair in frustration.

"I hate how I can spot your stupid hair in a crowd or hear your laughter down the hallway, but most of all I hate how my stomach twists into a million knots when I do!"

She was tearing up at this point, and Soma was so confused. He softened his voice a little, "Nakiri."

She looked him straight in the eyes and admitted, voice quivering but loud nonetheless, "I hate how jealous I get when other girls talk to you. I hate how insecure and vulnerable I feel around you. I never feel that way around anyone. I'm Erina Nakiri, the literal Queen of the cooking realm, and I actually get nervous when YOU, a nobody from a diner, eats my food!" She began laughing hysterically at the sheer ludicrousness.

"Nakiri!" he repeated, trying to interject, but she wouldn't have it.

"But most of all, Soma Yukihira, I hate how you somehow managed to make me fall in love with you!"

"ERINA!"

At the sound of him addressing her by her first name so forcefully, her mouth snapped shut, and she finally acknowledged the boy she'd been ranting about at the top of her lungs. Her heart was pounding and her hands were trembling, but her soul felt like it was on fire.

Soma was staring at her critically. His fists were clenched and his jaw was locked. "Are you done?"

She nodded timidly, a contrasting move to her brazen outburst from moments before.

In an instant, he closed the distance between them with two short steps, and his lips found hers before his hands had even made their mark. He dug his fingers in her hair as he kissed her with urgency; she responded in kind by gripping the sides of his face with a sense of desperation she didn't even know she felt. _Finally_ , she thought hungrily as she gripped his sweater and walked him backwards until he hit a patio chair. He fell into the chair and she straddled him, never taking her lips off his. It had been 24 hours since their last kiss, far too long in Erina's opinion. They were pressed against each other so tightly she could've sworn she felt his heart beating on time with hers.

Soma pulled away and gently cupped Erina's face. The way the moonlight reflected in her eyes and the gentle falling of snow around them was something he would never forget. She was clearly frustrated that he'd pulled away, which made the image all the cuter in his opinion, but he couldn't let another second go by without saying it now.

"Erina Nakiri, I love you too."


	13. Chapter 13

That night, it was cold. Biting cold – the kind of cold that stung her cheeks and froze the air in her lungs, and anyone who knew Erina Nakiri knew that she did not like the cold. If the weather was too chilly to enjoy a mai tai on the beach, she much preferred to spend it indoors, preferably curled up by the fireplace with a cup of tea and a good book. However, on this very cold night, she didn't notice the freezing wind or falling snow, because everywhere he trailed his hands, the heat within her body spread, and she was fairly certain she could stay out there all night if it meant he would keep warming her up.

Much to her great frustration though, Soma pulled away just as she had leaned in for another kiss, and she pouted at his dirty trick. He, on the other hand, was smiling softly and looking at her like he was just seeing her for the first time.

"Erina Nakiri, I love you too."

...

They sat in awkward silence for what must've been a full minute, and while Erina wished to say something - _anything_ \- it seemed the network of neurons responsible for speech were on a break, and she could only stare. The earth was still spinning and time was ticking on relentlessly, but she was frozen (or as Alice would tease: short-circuited), and her brain incapable of comprehension.

Soma chuckled awkwardly, "Hello? Anyone home?" while waving a hand in front of her stunned face.

This seemed to bring her back to earth, because she finally controlled her breathing and whispered, "Y-you love me?"

"Yup!" he smiled proudly.

"You… idiot!" She exclaimed, bringing her hands up to shield her face. "H-how can you say that at a time like this?"

Soma frowned in plain confusion, "What do you mean?" He thought he was _supposed_ to tell her how he felt!

"This!" She motioned to their rather compromising position where she was sitting on his lap with her hands in his hair while his were gripping her hips. "Now I'm always going to remember the first time you confessed as this!"

Soma looked up at her pink cheeks and cross expression and burst out laughing at her embarrassment. "You're already thinking about all the times you're gonna look back on this day in the future? You're right here with me now, so _be here with me_." He brought her back into him and kissed her again. "Besides, what's so wrong about this?"

"It isn't the kind of story you can tell your children when they ask," she frowned.

"Children? Whoa, slow down there. We're not ready for that yet."

Erina exploded, "I obviously didn't mean it like that! I just meant-"

But her outburst was cut short by his lips on hers, and any future objections she had melted in his embrace along with her restraint.

He roughly caught her bottom lip between his teeth, saying, "Besides, you taste too fucking good not to do this..."

"Yukihira!" she hissed, her face as red as a rose. "Don't say those things out loud, you pervert!"

He grinned and moved toward her ear, his warm breath fanning her neck. "Are you saying you want me to whisper?"

She blushed but leaned into him helplessly. "I hate you."

He corrected cheekily, "You _love_ me."

* * *

"Are you cold?" He murmured against her hair as he held her. He could feel the goosebumps under his fingers as he lazily traced her back.

"No," she lied, head resting on his chest.

He chuckled, pulling her in closer. "We can go inside, ya know."

She shook her head. "But then we'd have to say goodnight."

"Do you wanna stay over at my place?"

"I can't. Alice and Hisako will definitely notice if I'm gone tonight."

Soma sighed, "So we're gonna stay out here for the rest of the night and get hypothermia?

She nodded stubbornly and Soma teased, "Ya know, the nice thing about dating is that we can do this all the time now. No one will care if we're at the other's place."

Erina shifted herself up to look at him. Even before she spoke, he could see the confusion in her purple eyes. "Why bother dating at all?"

Soma smirked, "Uh, because we love each other? I thought that much was clear."

She blushed and clarified, "But if we're both graduating in 3 months and going our separate ways, is it even worth it?"

Realization struck him, and he confirmed with a lighter heart, "So, that's why you ended things last night."

Erina nodded, "It just doesn't make sense for us to keep getting attached when we'll be forced apart in a few months."

Soma chuckled in relief. "Holy shit, Nakiri, I thought you just didn't like me anymore. We can do long distance!" he suggested breezily as if all their problems were now solved.

"That would never work! You can't even be trusted to reply to your messages now when we're all in the same time zone and have the same schedules. Chef Dojima literally had to track you down in person just to have a conversation with you. What will it be like when you're off on a different continent and we're both juggling new responsibilities?"

He repeated his idea from before, "Then come with me! We can travel together, you can make fun of me when I embarrass myself speaking other languages..."

"As much as I would love to see that, I already told you I'm opening my restaurant. I'm ready. I want to take this next step now before I lose my nerve."

He threw his hands up and said resolutely, "Then I'll stay. I'll work at Yukihira's like I always planned!"

"I thought you wanted to venture out on your own path though..."

"I do," he admitted, "but I'd rather be with you."

Erina frowned and said stubbornly, "Well, I can't let you do that. I refuse to be the one who stands between you and your goals."

Soma asked in frustration, "Then what are we supposed to do? I know it's crazy and we're so young, but I feel like this is the real deal."

She buried her face back into his chest to avoid his gaze, mumbling, "I know, I feel it too. This isn't just a practice run anymore, which is exactly why I don't want to do this. I won't let our relationship fail before it's even started. We should both go off on our own and accomplish what we need to, separately. And when the time is right and you're ready to come home, we'll be together."

A moment passed where the two simply leaned into each other on that cold night, staring out at the dark sky, rattling their brains for any alternate ending to the story that was seemingly writing itself. When none came, Soma made a sound of displeasure and groaned, "I hate this. It feels like we're breaking up when we never even started going out. Is there really no other way?"

Sighing, she said, "None that I can see."

"...Okay. We can do whatever you want, Nakiri. As long as you're happy," he reluctantly agreed, kissing the top of her forehead.

She scoffed quietly, "I'm not, but thank you. I really think this is our only option."

"What if you find someone else while I'm gone?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood, although he was certain that the second he left, potential suitors would be beating down the doors to get to her.

 _Impossible._ But instead she said smoothly, "I suppose you'll have to challenge him for me."

* * *

They made the long and treacherous journey all the way from the roof to her penthouse suite, only pausing about a dozen times to rest and recover every few feet, kissing and giggling secretively. They held hands, playfully swaying them back and forth, until finally stopping right in front of her room. Erina looked at the door in distaste as if it were covered in mold and she dropped her gaze downward. "I suppose we should call it a night..."

Soma leaned down to kiss her for what was fully intended to be the last time, however, the second his lips left hers, he realized he had grossly overestimated his willpower when it came to the blonde, and somehow one innocent kiss turned into another, then another. Her quiet moans did nothing to dissuade him from tangling his fingers in her hair or teasing her tongue with his, and 5 _goodnights_ , 8 _I love yous_ , and 12 _Okay seriously, byes_ forced between kisses later, they had made the opposite of progress.

"You need to go! Someone will see us," Erina panted as soon as their lips parted. She knew she sounded like a broken record, yet she still clung to him, fully inviting another kiss. She was reminded of all the times she'd overheard conversations in the hallway where a lovestruck student gushed into their phone, "No, you hang up first!" God, how sickened she'd been by their attitudes before. Now, here she was playing the same game.

He shot her a genuinely confused look. "I am. Can't you see I'm down the hall now?" he asked softly just before meeting her lips with his again. He trailed kisses from her mouth and along her jaw, murmuring, "Getting in the elevator."

She giggled but said nothing, leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes.

"In my room now," he whispered in her ear, grinning at her nervous squirming against him. "Thinking about you."

The ding from the elevator was finally what broke the never ending cycle, and the two broke apart in haste. Luckily it was a stranger who was heading in the opposite direction, but Erina let out a shaky breath, "See what happens when you don't listen to me? Go already!"

Soma slyly pulled her back into his embrace and dropped his head onto hers. "I don't want to leave you though. When we see each other tomorrow, it's gonna be as friends and I'm not ready for that yet."

Her head fit perfectly in the crook of his neck, and she closed her eyes, trying to etch the feeling into her memory for the moments when she knew she would need it the most.

"...Neither am I," she admitted, but she lifted her head to meet his gaze. "But we have to."

Sporting a very shy look, he dropped his forehead to hers. "I know. Just know that I love you, okay? I don't want you to forget that even when I'm gone."

Erina had to turn her head away, because she could feel the tears collecting in her eyes and she didn't want him to see. "Yes, I know," she muttered, unwilling to really hear his words. It wasn't like she needed him to say it. She could feel it in his grip and the way he kissed her; she could even feel it when he cooked for her with that happy grin and cocky attitude. In fact, it was overwhelming to be loved so deeply. Her heart was aching with the love and pain that were so inextricably linked when it came to the boy before her, and any second now it was bound to rip in two.

Soma, on the other hand, needed to lay it all out on the table before they had to part ways. Who knew when he would be able to tell her all the stuff that was on his mind? "Seriously, every time you see me zoning out during a council meeting it's 'cause I'm thinking about you. And if I bring you another twelve dishes to try in the first week of school it's 'cause all I want to do is make food that'll make you happy. Got it?"

His sweet words were only making it harder to move on, and all she wanted to do was change into her pajamas, drink away her sorrows with the liquor in the minibar, and cry. The lump in her throat was growing by the second, but she managed to choke out softly, "I know... Now please leave, Yukihira."

Her trembling lip and averted eyes were breaking his heart, and although all he wanted to do was stay with her, he knew it wasn't helping either of them. A tear ran down her cheek, and he brushed it off with his thumb. He kissed her forehead lightly, not wanting to cause her any more pain. "Sweet dreams, Nakiri."

* * *

After tossing and turning all night, Erina woke up to an empty room. The girls had seen the wreck she was upon entering the room the previous night, and they knew she would want some space in the morning. She turned sideways in bed to see two little notes scribbled on the hotel's stationary pad.

 _Erina,_

 _We have gone down to get breakfast. I know your ankle must be hurting so you probably will not want to come to the restaurant. Please call me and let me know if you'd like me to pick something up for you._

 _-Hisako_

She laughed to herself. Ah yes, her ankle. She appreciated how tactful Hisako was when it came to personal matters. She moved onto the second note.

 _E,_

 _I'm going to pretend I found a red hair in my breakfast and get him fired. Love you, feel better!_

 _Xoxo - A_

Erina smirked and quickly texted Alice not to do such a thing. She hadn't exactly explained what had occurred the previous night; all they knew was that she was heartbroken, and it was all thanks to him. Misguided as it was, this was Alice's own way of saying she was there for her, and Erina appreciated it all the same.

Her phone buzzed with Alice's reply. _I didn't even get to! He's not here._

He wasn't there? Erina knew his schedule by heart (a fact she would never admit to anyone), and she knew he was scheduled to work that morning. That idiot probably overslept. Gathering strength, she decided to reprimand him as a headmistress should. This would show him that she was ready to put their relationship back on track. Heart racing, she mentally prepared herself as she went down to his floor to scold the shit out of him, but she was surprised to see Megumi loudly banging on his door.

"Soma-kun, open up!" she shouted in a panicked voice.

"Megumi," Erina accidentally called out in her authoritative voice reserved for troublemakers. "What are you doing?"

The blue-haired girl squeaked, "I'm so sorry for yelling! I didn't mean to wake everyone this morning, but I received a weird text from Soma-kun and I wanted to check on him!" She began lightly rapping her knuckles against the door and whisper-screamed, "Soma-kun!"

"What exactly did his text say?" Erina asked, trying to keep the concern out of her voice.

Megumi wrung her hands together. "He said he was leaving to 'get started on his plans' and that he would be back soon. That was it. I tried to call him, but he didn't answer."

"Leaving?" she wondered aloud. She suddenly remembered she had an extra key card to his room and tried the door, ignoring the awkward look on Megumi's face. The light blinked red and the door didn't budge.

Megumi murmured, "Oh my... I guess he's already checked out."

Feeling a sharp prickle of irritation at the fact that the boy hadn't said anything to her about his departure, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and excused herself from the worrying girl. So what if he left the resort early? She would see him when they came back to school.

* * *

 _One week later..._

The Elite 10 had gathered a week after school had started to go over the last events the seniors would oversee as part of the council. Every seat was filled at the round table except the illustrious first seat. Soma had been missing ever since that last day at the ski resort. She'd heard rumblings and rumors that he was traveling abroad, even seeing a photo of him with Chef Dojima and his father in front of Big Ben. Hisako had received the picture from Hayama, who got it from Jun, who got it directly from Gin, and when the poor girl blanched and tried to whip her phone out of sight, Erina already knew what (and who) she was hiding.

"Nakiri," Takumi gently called out, breaking Erina's train of thought. "You were saying something about our final order of business?"

She shook her head as if to rattle her brain back into focus. "Ah, y-yes, excuse me. As I was saying, third years: this is your last chance to get in your project proposals before I will review them in the upcoming semester. If you are able to obtain the majority vote in your favor, please have each member sign the official proposal and bring it to me by the end of the week. Any questions?"

Alice leaned back in her chair, puffing her cheeks out. "Why do we have to get our proposals in so early? What if I don't know what my cute little juniors need yet?"

Erina sent her a frosty look and said, "Because I will not be chasing each of you down on the last week of school trying to implement these changes, and I certainly won't be leaving all this paperwork for my successor. Do none of you know if you'll be submitting final proposals?"

Hayama said, "I have already drafted mine and gotten the proper approvals to expand the Shiomi Seminar. It will be on your desk in the morning."

"Excellent."

Ryo growled in berserk mode, "If you losers don't accept my proposal to start our own fish market, I'll kill each of you!"

"When did you even put this on?!" Alice snatched the red bandana off his head. She thought aloud, "Hmm, I guess I can figure out something to do with my Cutting-Edge RS..."

"I've got one," a voice called out from the doorway. "How about a pool at the Polar Star Dorms?"

Erina felt her mouth go dry.

"Soma-kun!"

"Yukihira, you're back!"

All eyes turned to the redhead as he casually sauntered into the room like he hadn't gone AWOL for the past week.

"What's up, guys?" he asked with a huge smile on his face as he made his way to his empty seat, which happened to be right next to Erina.

"Where have you been?" she asked, her voice just barely above a whisper. Everyone could feel the tension in the room.

"I had some stuff to take care of," he said offhandedly. "Speaking of which, is this meeting almost over? I've gotta show you something."

"No, it's not almost over!" she screamed, indifferent to the way everyone flinched at her sudden exclamation.

"A-actually, Nakiri-san," a shy second-year stammered, "Y-you said that was our final topic for this meeting."

"Oh, nice!" Soma exclaimed, shooting the kid a thumbs up, earning an awe-inspired smile from said student. "That means we can go."

She glared at him before silently standing and gathering her papers, signaling the end of the meeting. The rest of the council followed suit one by one, and Erina and Soma were left alone in the council room. The headmistress grumbled, "Just because the meeting's been adjourned doesn't mean I want anything to do with you."

Soma asked in total ignorance, "Why're you mad?"

"Because!" She pushed past him and down the hallway, trying to get to her limo as quickly as possible.

"Because what?" He called out cluelessly as he half-jogged behind her trying to keep up.

She finally stopped in her tracks and hit him harshly in the chest. "Because I thought you left! I thought you jetted off to the other side of the world without saying goodbye!"

Soma cocked his head. "I didn't leave though. I mean I did, but not like that! I had to go talk to my dad about stuff, and-"

"That's not the point! You didn't tell anyone where you were, and it scared me! How could you ever think we would be able to maintain a long-distance relationship if you can't even be trusted to reply back to your closest friends?"

"I texted Tadokoro and told her I'd be back soon though!" he argued.

" _Soon_ is a few hours, not a week after school starts! You are such an inconsiderate jerk!" She whirled back around and made her way back towards the doors. They walked outside to her limo but when she pulled the door open, Soma closed it right back.

"Look, I'll admit I didn't handle that well. I suck at texting and emailing, but I didn't want to ruin the surprise! Please, Nakiri, I'm beggin' ya. Come with me. I'll tell you everything that happened this week."

The sincere look in his face slightly soothed her hurt ego, and she reluctantly took her hand off the limo's door handle. "Fine. But I am not getting on your bike."

* * *

One short motorcycle ride later, Erina and Soma were in the heart of Tokyo in the restaurant district. Erina asked irritably, "What are we doing here, Yukihira?"

He stopped walking abruptly but the swarm of people merely side-stepped the pair. Soma announced with his arm outstretched dramatically, "Listen up, Nakiri! You've been my biggest opponent and harshest critic since I came to Tōtsuki. You're the reason I keep going when I feel stuck or drained. I thought I had to travel the world because it was what my dad did to get stronger, but after talking to him, he made me realize the only reason he left was because he lost his motivation in the first place. He only found it again when he met my mom!"

Erina's cheeks heated up at his very _loud_ declaration and she glanced around in embarrassment. Thankfully the horde of pedestrians just trying to get home after a long day of work paid no mind to the two teenagers who were perceivably having nothing but a lovers' quarrel.

"What I'm trying to say is - I don't need to leave! If I travelled the world, sure I'd get to learn new recipes and techniques, but I wouldn't have the same motivation to keep going without you there telling me it's disgusting! So, if you're not coming with me, I'm staying here with you!"

The feeling of hope settled in her heart at his words, but she still crossed her arms over her chest in frustration. "What are you talking about? Are you staying at Yukihira's?"

Soma shook his head. "Nope. I love that place and it'll always be my home, but I meant what I said about doing things my own way."

"But if you're not traveling after graduation and you're not going back to your diner, what are you doing?!"

He grinned and rubbed his hands together as he finally unveiled his master plan. "After I came home from talking to my dad, I've been meeting with real-estate agents all week. You said you were looking to open a restaurant in this neighborhood, right? Well... say hello to your biggest competition!" He extended his arms proudly as if to showcase himself.

Erina narrowed her eyes and yawned. "As if your little street cart could rival my establishment."

He laughed at her unimpressed attitude, "Nah, it's not some shitty street cart. I bought _a real restaurant_. Put down the deposit a few days ago and finally got the keys today."

"And how on earth did you manage that?"

He scratched the back of his head and shrugged, "It's not like I have any money stored away, but the bank seemed to think I was a solid investment since I'm the first seat of Tōtsuki and all. I hope you're ready for some intense competition, Nakiri, 'cause my place is about to blow the socks off yours!"

"You bought a restaurant…" she reiterated in disbelief, "And you're staying, not to be my boyfriend, but to be my competitor?"

"Well the two don't have to be mutually exclusive," he winked, "But for the most part, yeah! You're my biggest rival, and I'm not leaving this goddamn country until I make you admit my food is delicious!"

A moment of silence passed as she absorbed everything he had told her. Within seconds, she was bursting into giggles, which eventually escalated into full-blown hysterical laughter on the street. Erina had never laughed like this in her life, and only after her lungs seized from laughing so much was she able to calm down, clutching her sides in pain. "Oh my GOD, you're certifiably insane, Yukihira!"

"Absolutely!" he said, taking advantage of weak state by pulling her down the street again. He said cheerfully, "C'mon, I'll show ya my new place!"

They finally stopped in front of an abandoned but well-maintained building, and Erina could only stare in confused wonderment.

"Tada!" Soma exclaimed.

"This is your restaurant?"

"Yup! What do ya think?"

"Yukihira," she began sweetly, "You know how I said I wanted to open a restaurant in this neighborhood? **_THIS_ **was the restaurant!"

Soma blinked. "I bought your restaurant?"

She nodded adamantly. "I'd been in negotiations with the old owners for ages! I had them at half their selling price plus covering the closing fees! You're telling me you just went and bought it?!"

He chuckled nervously, "Yeah… I knew there was another buyer, so I thought I should act fast… Didn't realize it was you!"

He pulled out the key, and they entered the empty building. It was an old restaurant, with plenty of open space for tables and cozy booths lining the walls. Beautiful pendant lights hung from the ceiling while the warm light reflected off the oak floors. It was a blank canvas, ready to be made into something spectacular.

She pouted as she sank down into a booth. "It's just like I remember. It was going to be so perfect."

Soma ran a hand through his hair as his surprise veered off course and crashed in a ditch, dying a fiery death. _Fuck fuck fuck._ He offered awkwardly, "I can sell it to you if you want?"

She looked up at him with a dead expression. "I'm guessing you paid full price? No thank you. I'll just find somewhere else. Another restaurant with perfect foot traffic and targets my key demographic and requires minimal changes to the infrastructure."

"That's the spirit!" Soma exclaimed before he realized she was being sarcastic. "Uh, how about we have a Shokugeki for it?"

"Are you crazy? We can't bet something like this on a Shokugeki! I'm certain there are tax restrictions against that sort of thing!" She began pacing up and down the empty restaurant to clear her head. Suddenly, she had an idea. An idea so simple she could kiss herself – an idea so utterly contrary to her younger self she could have gagged. "Yukihira... what if I bought _half_ of the restaurant?"

"Huh?" Soma asked in confusion. He couldn't help but picture the left half of the restaurant draped in chandeliers and silk, a thick line of tape running down the center of the building, and the right half being a nondescript diner with rowdy patrons. That couldn't be what she meant though, right? "You wanna be co-owners?"

"Yes."

"Are we co-chefs too?"

She nodded in embarrassment. "Yes."

"And we're serving the same customers off the same menu?" Soma asked doubtfully.

"Yes."

"So, it would be _our_ restaurant that we own _together_ ," he repeated again, forcing Erina to frown and huff, "Yes, I believe that was all implied."

He didn't answer her; instead, he walked around the restaurant trying to meld the two halves he'd previously conjured up in his mind. He tried to imagine a restaurant created by the two most influential chefs of their generation, with food combinations that had never been seen before on this earth and flavors that had yet to be discovered. He grinned like a madman picturing working alongside the most talented woman he knew everyday.

He never gave her a yes or no answer. Instead, he slowly approached her, warning wryly, "You know we'll kill each other, right?"

Erina smirked, wrapping her arms around his shoulders where they belonged. "Are you afraid?"

"Nah," he shrugged, "More like... _excited_."

A chill went down her spine as he eyed her lips in interest. He murmured in a gravelly voice, millimeters away from her face, "Say, Nakiri, there's one last thing we've gotta do to seal the deal."

"Oh?" she tried to keep her voice even, but every nerve in her body was on edge.

Suddenly tearing himself from her grip, he sprinted towards his backpack and pulled out a canister. As soon as it was uncapped, the most odious smell attacked her nose and tongue, and Erina held her hands to her face to stop from throwing up on the spot. "What is going on?!"

Soma grinned naughtily, an evil aura emanating from his body. "The terms of our first agreement, Princess. Remember? You'd eat anything I served you if I helped you... Eat up..."

She continued covering her nose but the smell was somehow permeating through her eyes! "What's in that? I can smell like 5 different animals alone!"

Soma cocked his head. "Oh a little bat here, a little squirrel there. Some squid too. Added some ramen just to make it go down easier."

Let it be known that Erina Nakiri was not a coward. She took the canister with a trembling hand.

Her screams could be heard from halfway across town.

* * *

 _3 years later..._

Alice, with Ryo in tow, forced her way through the throng of people who were buzzing excitedly at the entrance of _Venture._ Hearing the word 'Shokugeki', she whipped her head around in search for the hidden Totsuki alumni, but didn't see anyone she knew. _Must've imagined it!_ She skipped the line of queuers all dressed to the nines, ignoring their angered shouts, and marched right up to the hostess. Her perfectly manicured fingers raised into a V as she said, "Table for two."

The hostess looked at her in annoyance. Of course, she was used to this kind of behavior working in the restaurant industry. "Do you have a reservation?"

Alice simply cocked her head. "No, of course not. We just flew in on a whim to celebrate their first Michelin star."

 _Rich people,_ the hostess rolled her eyes. She sneered, "Unfortunately, as you just proved, this is the hottest restaurant in town. Reservations have been booked months in advance, so if you would like to put your name on the waiting list, we may have a spot if someone doesn't come, although that is _highly_ doubtful. The first Friday of the month is always our busiest night."

Alice pouted towards Ryo and said in exaggerated worry, "Ugh, if only we'd made reservations! How will I ever taste Erina's-" she pulled out the latest article of Saveur and recited word for word, "- _inspired_ _, one-of-a-kind, blessing to your taste buds_ cooking?!"

Ryo shrugged, "We can always meet them at their apartment. Yukihira said we could crash with them while we were here."

His fiancée rolled her eyes. "As if I'll be sharing a bathroom with Erina again. Do you not remember 'The Case of the Stolen Lipgloss' last year when we all vacationed in that villa in Saint-Tropez? What a nightmare."

"I'm certain you lost it..."

As the couple before her argued, the hostess's hands grew clammy; something wasn't right here. "Wh-what did you say your name was again, Miss?"

"Alice _Nakiri_ ," the young girl smiled back, ruby eyes glistening. "You might know my cousin, Erina. Blonde, arrogant beyond belief, controls your paycheck...?"

The woman felt her soul leave her body, and she quickly allowed them entrance, assuring them, "Please sit anywhere you'd like! I'll be sure to let Chef Nakiri know you are here."

"Don't bother, I'd much rather it be a surprise," Alice said as she strolled into the dining area with Ryo following silently behind her. The restaurant was inherently chic with its rich oak floors and dark red walls. The pendant lights provided little pockets of gold in the otherwise dim restaurant, and despite the obvious feeling of luxuriousness, one also felt at home in the space.

Their search for a good table was interrupted by something so outlandish that neither could've ever imagined it would be at the God Tongue's restaurant. Erina and Soma were sharpening their knives and preparing their workstations at the hibachi-style grill in the center of the restaurant. Many of the patrons had their bodies turned, watching in rapt attention, but the majority had left their tables altogether and gathered around it like spectators at a wrestling match.

"What'll it be today, guys?" Soma asked cheerfully, throwing his trusty knife up in the air so that it twirled a dozen times before landing snuggly back in his palm.

The crowd gasped, but Erina rolled her eyes, unimpressed after seeing the same trick month after month. "Please hold your applause until after you try our dishes. Then you'll see who is truly the better chef!"

CEOs, prime ministers, and entrepreneurs yelled out their requests for the mini-Shokugeki, and Soma's eyes and ears scanned the crowd for worthy suggestions. Finally, he pointed with his knife to a little boy in the back. "Yo, kid, what do you feel like eating?"

The 5 year old blinked in surprise at being addressed but quickly got over it, flailing his arms and yelling excitedly, "Breakfast!"

Everyone laughed at the child. Breakfast for dinner? What a preposterous idea! But Soma smiled, "Yes, sir! Wanna come up here and watch the magic?"

The child scurried up to the front, leaving his mortified parents behind and haphazardly climbing the stool that sat right in front of the two infamous chefs.

Soma grinned at the kid's enthusiasm and asked his co-chef, "Ready?"

Sending him a deadly smile, she expertly twirled her knife in her right hand while pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear with the other. "Always. I can't believe you don't get tired of tasting defeat each month."

"Hey, not always! It's 25-13 and don't you forget it! I'm catchin' up!" Soma exclaimed. "And I won last month!"

"A fluke and nothing more," she huffed.

Alice threw her head back and laughed, "Ryo, don't tell me they've actually brought Shokugekis to their restaurant."

Even her solemn partner had the tiniest smile on his face. "Looks like it."

Alice hummed to herself. "Cute. I wonder who'll win this time."

"You don't wanna go sit up front and say hi?"

She shook her head, "We can wait until after. I'd like to see how this plays out."

Soma riled the crowd up while Erina giggled, plainly enamored with the redhead. Soma yelled, "Alright guys, start us off!"

Alice, Ryo, and all their fans cheered in unison, **"3...2...1... Go!"**

* * *

 **A/N: And that's the end! Hope you guys enjoyed this story, please let me know what you think in the comments!**

 **To answer a few questions:**

 **Why do the OCs have white names lol - I have no imagination and was scared of picking the _Sally_ or _Bob_ of Japanese names.**

 **Will I keep writing stories - maybe? I'm working on a couple right now but once I'm done with those not sure! If anyone ever wants me to write something for them though, all you have to do is PM me! I'd be happy to try my hand at any prompt if I thought I could do it justice!**

 **Love you guys and all the support I've received throughout this story! Have a great day!**


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